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THE REVELATION OF JOHN 



THE REVELATION OF 
JOHN 



AN INTERPRETATION OF THE 
BOOK WITH AN INTRODUC- 
TION AND A TRANSLATION BY 



CHARLES C. WHITING M.A., B.D. 




BOSTON 

THE GORHAM PRESS 

MCMXVIII 



Copyright, 1918, by Charles C. Whiting 
All Rights Reserved 



MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
Thk Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A. 

*i? I i 1318 $ /.foU 



To My Wife 
Whose Continuous Sympathy 
and Valuable Assistance 
Have Contributed Greatly 
To This Volume 



PREFACE 



In the following pages an attempt is made to reach an inter- 
pretation of the Revelation of John that will be both reasonable 
and in accord with the best modern scholarship and at the same 
time so simple that the ordinary layman will find it easily within 
his grasp. It is hoped, therefore, that these pages may be found 
profitable by all who are interested in the interpretation of the 
closing book of the New Testament. 

Although this volume is the result of study extending over 
many years it makes no claim to exhaustiveness ; indeed it is 
only an interpretation, and that merely in outline, of the book. 
An accurate interpretation of every word and phrase of the book 
along historical lines is impossible in the present state of our 
knowledge, but enough is known to enable us to understand it 
in a general way, and this general knowledge is of very great 
practical value. 

For the reader's convenience, and because careful study show- 
ed both the Authorized Version of 1611 and the Revised Ver- 
sion of 1885 to be defective, it was found necessary to include 
a fresh translation of the book in this volume. A translation, as 
literal as possible, into clear, simple, modern English has been 
the aim. Although in many ways the book is a difficult one for 
the translator it is hoped some success has been obtained. The 
translation is inserted as Appendix I. In Appendix II will be 
found brief explanations of the very few technical terms and 
proper names used in the volume the explanation of which might 
be helpful to some readers. 

If the succeeding pages prove to be a help to the intelligent 
comprehension of the book the writer of them will rejoice that 
his labour has not been in vain. 

c. c. w. 



CONTENTS 

Part I. Introduction II 

L The Apocalyptic Age 13 

II. The Apocalyptic Literature 18 

III. The Revelation of John as an Apocalypse 28 

IV. The Historical Setting of the Apocalypse of John. 30 
V. Its Author 37 

VI. Its Date 38 

VII. Its Unity 39 

VIII. Its Destination and Purpose. . 43 

IX. Its Symbolism 45 

X. Its Contents and Plan 46 

XI. Its Interpretation 49 

Part II. Exposition 55 

Part III. The Correlation of the Interpretation 215 

Appendix I. Translation 225 

Appendix II. Explanations 253 

Index 257 



7 



PART I 



INTRODUCTION 



In order to obtain a proper understanding of any book of the 
Bible it is absolutely indispensable to know the circumstances 
surrounding it.- The age in which it was written, the situation 
that called it forth, the author, and the purpose he had in view, 
the class of literature to which it belongs, as well as any other 
general features regarding it that throw light on its meaning, 
must be taken into account. This has been fully recognized 
for so long a time that no argument is needed to establish its 
truth. It applies however, with special force to the Book of 
Revelation. Few portions of the Canonical scriptures have been 
burdened and obscured by so many unreasonable and fantastic 
attempts to explain them as has this splendid book which, as Dr. 
Swete well says, is in some respects the crown of the New Tes- 
tament canon. In the following pages an attempt is made to 
review these surrounding circumstances briefly and compre- 
hensively but by no means exhaustively. 



I 



I 



THE APOCALYPTIC AGE 

While it may be freely admitted that the literature of the 
Persians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Egyptians furnishes many 
examples of apocalyptic writings, and while we find passages in 
the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament that 
present distinct apocalyptic features, yet it is to a certain period 
in the history of the Israelitish people and the Christian Church 
that the apocalyptic literature with which we are more imme- 
diately concerned belongs. This period may be called the 
Apocalyptic Age and extends, generally speaking, from the close 
of the seventh century before Christ when the Babylonian cap- 
tivity began, to the Edict of Constantine in 313 A. D. Prob- 
ably never in the world's history has any religion been called to 
pass through such a long period of extreme trial as this. There 
were conflicts with political powers, pagan religions, and foreign 
influences of various sorts, all of which were especially severe 
in the first and second centuries B. C. and the first century 
A. D. A brief review of the history of Judaism and Christian- 
ity during this long season of extreme trial will help us to see 
how the apocalyptic literature arose. 

The conquest of Judah by the Babylonians was begun soon 
after they captured Nineveh in 606 B. C. and was carried on 
with all the barbarities of ancient warfare until the country 
was entirely in their power in 586 B. C. Jerusalem was be- 
sieged, and ultimately captured, many of the best people were 
carried away to Babylon, some of whom were treated to all 
the refinements of ancient cruelty. The city and temple were 
laid in ruins and remained so for many years, (See Dan. 2, 
2 Kings xxiv and xxv, Ezek. i:i, 2, Esther ii:5, 6, Ezra 1:7-11, 
2 Chron. xxxvi 117-21, Jer. xxxivn, xxxix, lii). 

The exile was complete from 586 B. C. to 536 B. C. and dur- 
ing that time the Jews were in a condition of nominal slavery 
in Babylon, which, while severe and trying as we learn from the 

13 



The Revelation of John 



137th Psalm, was much less rigorous than that to which captive 
peoples were generally subjected. Probably however it will be 
nearer the truth to say that their condition varied with the 
place and time as we may gather from the indications in the 
narratives. The first band of exiles were allowed to build 
houses and plant gardens (Jer. xxix:5f) and to live in com- 
munities of their own (Ezra viii : 1 7, Ezek. i:i ) under their own 
elders (Ezek. viii:i, xxiv:i, xx:i) while Jehoiachin after many 
years captivity received consideration of the ruler (2 Kings xxv: 
27ft). On the other hand the Chaldeans were often cruel (Jer. 
xxix:2iff) and afflicted them with hard service (Isa. xiv:3f). 

The Persian period extended from 536 B. C. to 333 B. C. 
Although the records of this time are fragmentary and broken 
they are sufficient to show that the religious life of Israel made 
little real advance in spite of the return from the exile. The 
temple was rebuilt under difficulties (Ezra iv:2ff, v:3ff, v:i6ff, 
vi:i5, Hag. i:2) and the inter-marriage of the Jews with 
heathens would tend to diminish the vigour of the religion of 
Israel, (Ezra x). The walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt (Neh. 
vi:i5), the condition of the poor improved (Neh. v:i-i2), the 
law of God was published (Neh. viii: 1-8), and other steps 
were taken to improve the religious condition of the people 
(Neh. ix and x). However years later Nehemiah found many 
old abuses still existing and took vigorous action to have them 
removed (Neh. xiii). It is clear that strong disintegrating 
influences were at work as is evident from the drastic measures 
taken by Ezra and Nehemiah to counteract them, and little if 
any permanent improvement was made in the religious condi- 
tion of the Jews. 

The Greek period (333-63 B. C.) shows us powerful foreign 
influences at work on the Jews and their religion. For cen- 
turies they had been scattering and as time passed they became 
more and more diffused over the whole civilized world. A 
great dispersion took place at the beginning of the third cen- 
tury B. C. when thousands of Jews were transported to Egypt 
to serve as colonists and support the reigning dynasty; besides, 
the opportunities of commerce attracted them. This dispersion 
brought them under Hellenizing influences. But their hearts 
were still at home and as they returned on visits to Jerusalem, 
themselves Hellenized, they exerted a subtle influence on the 
Jews in Palestine. So great was the Hellenizing influence that 



The Apocalyptic Age 



15 



the Scriptures had to be translated into the Greek in order that 
they might be able to read them. Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) 
endeavored to hasten this Hellenizing by force soon after he 
came to the throne of Syria in 175 B. C. For some years there 
was much disturbance, the temple being profaned and robbed 
and many citizens of Jerusalem put to death in 170 while in 
168 the city was laid waste, orders given that Jewish rites in 
the temple should cease, and an idol altar "the abomination of 
desolation/' set up in the temple instead, copies of the law were 
searched for and destroyed and merciless cruelties meted out to 
the Jewish inhabitants. It was the avowed intention to extir- 
pate the Jewish religion. Every village was required to set up 
its heathen altar and heathen sacrifices must be duly offered by 
the citizens. But nothing could force Israel to abandon her 
ancestral worship. The terrible persecution served to fire the 
devotion of many, and as a result we find the Jews rising in 
rebellion under an aged but brave priest named Mattathias and 
his sons. This Jewish War of Independence was led by Judas 
Maccabaeus, a son of Mattathias, and was so successful that 
Israel became independent again (162 B. C), restored her 
religious rites, and in spite of many attacks by the Syrians and 
others and of many complications and difficulties preserved her 
independence until Jerusalem was captured by the Roman gen- 
eral Pompey in 63 B. C. 

The Roman period (B. C. 63 and onward to the Edict of 
Constantine 313 A. D.) sees the final overthrow of the Israel- 
itish nation. Pompey besieged Jerusalem to put an end to the 
growing anarchy in the country, captured the city, demolished 
its walls, and is said even to have desecrated the Temple by 
entering the Holy of Holies itself, while eight years later Cras- 
sus again pillaged the Temple. There was much disturbance in 
the land until Roman rule was at last securely established in 
37 B. C. A time of peace and prosperity followed. But in the 
second and third quarters of the first century A. D. discontent 
spread rapidly among the people. A systematic campaign was 
carried on to re-establish Roman power in Palestine. After 
reconquering and subduing the northern part of the country the 
city of Jerusalem was besieged by Titus, and fell after a siege 
of 143 days,— perhaps the most terrible in its history. The city 
was crowded by pilgrims attending the Passover while the 
season intensified the sufferings of the besieged, the final fall 



x6 



The Revelation of John 



of the city taking place in the hottest part of the year. Famine, 
thirst, disease, deportation of many of the inhabitants, and the 
crucifixion of fully 3500 of the best citizens until wood for 
crosses failed, completed the awful trials of the people of the 
ill-fated city. Thus in blood and fire the Jewish political system 
perished, while the Arch of Titus at Rome, adorned with the 
table of shew bread, the golden candlestick and the silver trum- 
pets from the Temple, commemorated the great Roman vic- 
tory. 

While this conquest of Palestine was going on in the east the 
great persecution of the Christians was beginning further west. 
The great fire in Rome in A. D. 64 was viewed as a token of 
the displeasure of the gods who must be appeased while the 
people clamoured loudly that the injury be avenged. Nero, the 
emperor, soon decided on a persecution of the Christians as the 
best means of doing this, and thus inaugurated the great per- 
secution of the Christians that continued with varying severity 
for nearly two hundred and fifty years. It became a crime to be 
a Christian, and a crime punishable by death, often of the most 
horrible character. Suspects were arrested and on convic- 
tion were forced to pay for their fidelity to Christ with their 
lives. In Rome under Nero they were clothed with skins of 
wild beasts and worried to death by dogs, cast to the lions to 
entertain the crowds at the theatres, or tied to posts, soaked with 
oil and allowed to burn alive, to light the gardens of the em- 
peror at night. The persecution later became general through- 
out the empire and continued till liberty was given the Chris- 
tians, to hold their meetings without molestation, by Constan- 
tine in 313 A. D. 

This brief survey of the long period which has been desig- 
nated, "The Apocalyptic Age" shows it to have been a very 
remarkable and trying one for the people of Israel and the early 
Christian church. For more than nine hundred years the chosen 
race and its Christian offshoot were forced to face the most 
powerful and continuous combination of disintegrating forces 
that has ever been directed against any race of people, and from 
a human point of view at least, the mitigating circumstances were 
few. The country was overrun and conquered again and again ; 
their capital city was laid in ruins several times ; their people were 
reduced to slavery or put to death in the most cruel way ; stren- 
uous efforts were made to crush their religion and put it out 



The Apocqlyptic Age 



17 



of existence ; their temple was several times desecrated in ways 
that were abhorrent to them; the influences of their Gentile 
conquerors were brought to bear on them powerfully by the 
Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans in succession; at- 
tempts to force them to adopt the pagan religion of their con- 
querors were made with death as the penalty for refusal ; their 
people were becoming more and more scattered over the world, 
while the voice of authoritative prophecy was growing increas- 
ingly faint, until in the Maccabean time or earlier, it ceased 
entirely to speak in any way that Israel's people could recognize 
as the message of God. It is true that the Persian period gave 
them the opportunity of returning to Palestine and allowed 
them some religious and political freedom and that the Macca- 
bean revolt brought them temporary independence. But these 
were of little permanent value to them because in the former they 
were too weak to make much permanent advance, while in the 
latter they were continually beset by influences so powerful that 
they must ultimately be ovenvhelmed by them. 

On four distinct occasions things reached a crisis for the 
Jews — the overthrow and enslavement of Judah by the Baby- 
lonians, the age of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Roman conquest, 
and the final subjugation under the Romans, the climax com- 
ing in the Roman period and especially with the conquest of 
Jerusalem under Titus. Under the crushing rule of the Ro- 
mans all earthly hope of national and religious restoration 
disappeared. 

As the hope of restoration to national and religious eminence 
decreased, two things rapidly developed. First the Messianic 
hope. It became increasingly clear to the devout and thought- 
ful among the people that Israel's only hope was in God and 
especially in the promised Deliverer. This hope was very 
strong in the first century A. D. Although Christians rec- 
ognize Jesus of Nazareth as its fulfilment, He has never been 
recognized as such by the Jewish people as a whole and they 
still look forward to the coming of the Anointed One of God. 
Secondly the rise and development of the Apocalyptic Litera- 
ture. But this brings us to the next section. 



II 



THE APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE 

Apocalyptic Literature naturally belongs to the period desig- 
nated above as the Apocalyptic Age. Passing over the brief 
apocalyptic passages in the older books we find the first dis- 
tinctly apocalyptical book is Ezekiel though it is interspersed 
here and there with historical and prophetic passages. Ezekiel 
was a priest and one of a band of Hebrews who w T ere transport- 
ed to Babylonia. His book belongs to the earlier half of the 
period of the captivity. The Book of Daniel also belongs to the 
time of the Babylonian captivity if we accept the older view 
of its date. 

The golden age of Apocalyptic Literature however was 
roughly speaking from about 200 B. C. to about 100 A. D. at 
least so far as its influence on the Canonical Scriptures is con- 
cerned. In this period we find the trying times of the Macca- 
bees and the horrors of the two Roman conquests with the 
opening decades of their terrible persecution of the Christians. 
To the times of the Maccabees the Book of Daniel is now 
generally assigned by scholars, while nearly a score of Jewish 
extra canonical writings of the same class belong to the period 
covered by the first and second centuries B. C. and the first 
century A. D. The Book of Revelation which forms the close 
of our New Testament, comes in the latter half of the first 
century after Christ. There are many apocalyptic writings — 
both Jewish and Christian, — which were composed after 100 
A. D. but as they have no important bearing on the interpreta- 
tion of the Apocalypse of John we need not pause to consider 
them. 

That we may have a better general idea of the nature of 
apocalyptic writings of the period from 200 B. C. to 100 A. D. 
let us look more in detail at the earlier extra-canonical Jewish 
apocalypses. We may pass over the canonical books of Ezekiel 
and Daniel for the present as every Bible student has them be- 
fore him. 

1. The Ethiopic Enoch will be first on our list. After an 
introduction, in which the author announces his parable and 

18 



The Apocalyptic Literature 



19 



appeals for attention (chapters 1-5), there are five main sec- 
tions or parts. The first section (chap. 6-36) tells of the fall 
of two hundred angels who were enticed by the beauty of the 
daughters of men to leave heaven and become their husbands. 
From these unions came a race of giants three thousand cubits 
high. The men were taught many secrets by the angels and so 
led into all sin, after which the giants set upon them, consumed 
their possessions and smote them till their cry went up to heaven 
and God made the slaughter to cease, condemning the angels 
to be enchained and imprisoned under the hills until the time 
of final judgment when they shall be burned. Then all people 
shall pray to God, the righteous shall flourish and live long 
and the earth shall yield abundantly. The details of the 
punishment are revealed to Enoch in a dream. The second 
section (chap. 37-71) consists of a short introductory section 
and three similitudes. In the first the Messiah, the Righteous 
One, appears and puts an end to sinners on the earth while 
Enoch, carried by the clouds to heaven, beholds the Kingdom 
of God and the abode of the righteous and the angels, the 
weighing of men's actions in the balances, the place of Wisdom 
in heaven, and many physical mysteries such as lightnings, 
thunderings, hail, mist, clouds, sun and moon. In the second 
similitude Messiah's Judgment is the theme. Enoch sees the 
Son of Man beside the Head of Days while an angel explains 
the vision. The third similitude explains the blessedness of the 
righteous in heaven and the judgment and punishment of 
angels and men with a vision of Noah and the deluge, after 
which Enoch is admitted to Heaven. The third section (chap. 
72-82) contains a revelation given by the angel on all sorts of 
geographical and astronomical matters such as the course of the 
sun, moon and winds, untoward days, changes to come in the 
last times and the return of Enoch to the earth. The fourth 
section (chap. 83-90) is a forecast of the future in which the 
deluge and the whole history of Israel from the creation of 
man to the end of time are revealed to him in symbolic form 
in visions. The fifth section is a series of exhortations (chap. 
91-105) in which Enoch delivers an address on righteousness 
designed to instruct the righteous of all ages to come, to which 
are added final encouragements and messages of hope. The 
conclusion of the book (chap. 106-108) dwells on the marvels 
to accompany the birth of Noah and describes again the fiery 



20 



The Revelation of John 



tribulations that await the wicked and the blessings in store 
for the righteous. 

The Ethiopic Enoch, together with the Slavonic Enoch, are 
fragments of an extensive Enoch literature. In Gen. v: 24 we 
read that "Enoch walked with God." This was understood to 
mean that he enjoyed superhuman privileges and received 
special revelations from God. It was natural then, that in the 
centuries when apocalyptic literature flourished a number of 
writings should circulate under his name. The Ethiopic Enoch 
as we have it now is believed by Dr. Charles and other students 
to be a composite work, its different parts being the produc- 
tions of different authors in the first and second centuries be- 
fore Christ. 

2. The Slavonic Enoch or as Dr. Charles designates it, 
The Book of the Secrets of Enoch, is one of the most recent 
additions to our collection of apocalyptic literature. Its date 
is given as between 30 B. C. and 70 A. D. probably 1-50 
A. D. and like the Ethiopic Enoch is regarded as of composite 
authorship. 

The Book tells how Enoch is taken up into the first heaven 
by two angels where he sees two hundred angels guarding the 
treasuries of the snow, dew, and oil. They convey him to the 
second heaven where he sees and converses with the fallen 
angels. In the third heaven, the paradise prepared for the 
righteous, he is led to the northern region where he is shown 
the place of torture. In the fourth heaven, the abode of the 
sun and moon, he sees mysterious composite beings with heads 
of crocodiles and bodies of serpents, hears their song and the 
indescribable music of angels. He passes through the fifth and 
sixth heavens to the seventh where he worships the Lord who is 
seated on a throne, holds direct converse with Him, is anointed 
and enrobed in suitable apparel. From the Lord and an arch- 
angel he learns the secrets of creation, of the formation of angels 
and human beings, of man's fall and judgment and of God's 
purpose for the future. He writes many books and then 
returns to earth for thirty days to impart the true knowledge of 
God. On his return to earth Enoch tells of his impressions in 
the heavens, of how he received his visions and wrote them 
down, and instructs his hearers in the things that he says are 
most pleasing to God. He enjoins them to give heed to and cir- 
culate his writings, announcing at the same time that the hour 



The Apocalyptic Literature 



21 



for his ascension to heaven has come. After giving a further 
series of instructions Enoch is mysteriously taken up into heaven 
while a thick darkness covers the earth. 

3. The Sibyline Oracles are a collection of poems in hexa- 
meter verse from Jewish, Christian, heathen and neutral 
sources. According to Ewald and Alexandre they extend over a 
period of more than 400 years from 140 B. C. 

The Oracles contain an account of human history from the 
Creation to the dispersion of the Jews, the reign of the Romans 
and the time of Christ. There are many predictions of wicked- 
ness, plagues, woes, judgments of the wicked and righteous, and 
the resurrection, as well as of impending calamities to fall on 
various nations and peoples, the coming of God and the Mes- 
sianic age. The Jews and Judaea are praised while other 
peoples and countries are denounced. The teaching, miracles, 
baptism, incarnation and pre-existence of the Son of God are 
described. 

4. The Assumption of Moses. This work was lost for sev- 
eral centuries but an old Latin version of it was found in Milan 
in 1 86 1. It was probably written during the earthly life of our 
Lord, i. e. 1-30 A. D. 

The book tells how Moses appoints Joshua as his successor 
and gives him his writings to preserve carefully. He forecasts 
the destinies of the tribes and how they will fall into idolatry 
and then repent after a king from the east has burned their 
colony and temple and made them captives ; how on the prayers 
of a certain one some would return but later their priests would 
again become idolatrous through the influence of wicked, usurp- 
ing, and tyrannous kings. Then there follow predictions of 
awful persecutions, after which the Most High will appear, 
establish His kingdom, bless and exalt Israel and punish the 
Gentiles, while darkness covers the trembling earth and the sun 
and moon refuse to shine. Moses again charges Joshua to keep 
these words safe, declares that from his death to the Advent will 
be two hundred and fifty times, places him in his own seat and 
comforts him by reminding him of the providence of God. 

5. Fourth Ezra contains a series of seven visions and in the 
Latin version some extra chapters. In the first vision Ezra's 
mind is disturbed by doubts as to the origin of sin and suffer- 
ing in the world ; an angel answers that God's ways are in- 
scrutable and the mind of man can comprehend little. But as 



22 



The Revelation of John 



Ezra pleads the pain of ignorance on such vital matters the 
angel assures him of a change of aeon about to come and bids 
him fast for seven days at the end of which he will receive 
further revelations. In the second vision Ezra is informed that 
God loves His people though He has given them into the hand 
of the heathen for reasons beyond the comprehension of man, but 
deliverance is drawing near. The third vision comes after anoth- 
er seven days' fast, and in it Ezra is informed that the reason 
why Israel does not possess her own land is that an evil age must 
precede the good, that God's mercy is consistent with the suf- 
ferings of those condemned, that the Son of God is coming in 
judgment with terrible punishment for the evil-doers and much 
joy for the righteous. The fourth vision pictures Zion's present 
sorrow and coming glory, the fifth the world empire, and the 
sixth the Son of God establishing the Messianic Age, while the 
seventh contains the legend of Ezra's rewriting the lost Scrip- 
tures. The book concludes with an account of Ezra's decease. 
The book belongs to the last quarter of the first Christian cen- 
tury. 

6. The Apocalypse of Baruch is one of a number of books 
ascribed by their authors to Baruch, the companion and assis- 
tant of Jeremiah. The Apocalypse of Baruch in a Syriac text 
was brought to light by Ceriani and later published by him. 
Various opinions are held as to its authorship and date, Dr. 
Charles, probably the best English authority on extra-canonical 
apocalyptic literature, believes it to have been the product of 
several independent works pieced together during the latter half 
of the first Christian century. The resemblances of the book 
to Fourth Esdras are so numerous and striking that they have 
been called "the twin apocalypses." 

In the book Baruch is represented as speaking in the first 
person, of events that are represented as taking place in and 
around Jerusalem about the time of its capture by the Chal- 
deans. The book opens with an account of God's condemna- 
tion of the wickedness of Judah and His determination to chas- 
tise her for a time. The next day the Chaldeans encompass the 
city after the angels have overthrown the walls and hidden the 
sacred vessels. The people are taken captive by the Chaldeans 
and the city is temporarily delivered to them. Jeremiah is 
commanded to go with the captives to Babylon and Baruch to 
remain in Jerusalem to receive disclosures of the future. Baruch 



The Apocalyptic Literature 



23 



fasts and gives way to utter despair. But in the revelations 
from God he learns that he will endure to the end though there 
will be troublous times with punishment for the wicked and 
exaltation for the righteous. Baruch is then informed as to his 
coming departure from the earth and is commanded to gather 
together the people and instruct them, which he does. At the 
request of the people Baruch writes letters to their brethren 
across the Euphrates and in Babylon. 

7. The Greek Baruch, another apocalyptic book bearing the 
name of Baruch, was discovered and published in 1896 though 
it was known to have existed in early times. It was written in 
the second century A. D. apparently to fulfil a promise in the 
Syriac Baruch that after forty days God would give Baruch 
further revelations regarding the material world. 

As Baruch prays and laments over the fall of Judah an angel 
visits him and takes him up to heaven where he sees astounding 
creatures, hybrids of oxen, sheep, goats, men, etc., under the 
figures of which the mysteries of the natural world are ex- 
plained to him as well as their relation to the righteous and 
the wicked in the world. After all this the gate of heaven 
closes and the angel returns to earth with Baruch. 

8. The Psalter of Solomon is a name given to a collection 
of eighteen independent psalms written by various authors be- 
tween 70 and 40 B. C. from an early date ascribed to Solomon 
by others, though the psalms nowhere claim him as their author. 

Psalms i, 2, and 8 deal with the sin and punishment of 
Jerusalem and the fate of its besieger. Psalms 3, 13, 14 and 

15 contrast the righteous and the wicked while Psalm 4 de- 
scribes and denounces the "menpleasers." Ps. 5, 6 and 9 tell of 
God's justice and mercy to the righteous. Ps. 12 describes 
the deeds and punishment of the deceitful tongue. Ps. 7 and 

16 are made up of prayers, confessions, and praise. Ps. 10 
dwells on the benefits of suffering. Ps. 11, 17 and 18 speak 
of the overthrow of the Jews and their coming restoration under 
the Messiah. 

9. A number of writings based on the Book of Genesis 
may be mentioned. 

A. The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs represents 
each of the twelve sons of Jacob in turn calling his children to 
him just before his death and addressing them retrospectively 
and prospectively much as Jacob does in Gen. 49, each however 



24 



The Revelation of John 



speaking on a different theme, each testament speaking of some 
merit or defect prominent in his life. The Testaments are 
thought to be originally the work of several Jewish writers in 
the first and second centuries B. C. but during the first three 
centuries of our era additions were made to them by several 
Christian writers. 

B. The Histories of Adam and Eve purport to be an 
account of the life of the first pair from their expulsion from 
the Garden of Eden to their death and burial. The date of 
the book is quite uncertain. 

C. The Apocalypse of Abraham tells how this patriarch 
came to dislike the idolatry of his father, whereupon an angel 
visited him, taught him to offer sacrifice and carried him on the 
wings of a dove to heaven where he received many revelations. 

D. The Book of Jubilees follows the general plan of the 
Book of Genesis and the first fourteen chapters of Exodus, and 
in its main points agrees with the canonical narrative but with 
many additions and alterations. The book was sometimes called 
"Little Genesis" and belongs to the period between, say, 100 
B. C. and 100 A. D. 

10. The Ascension of Isaiah is one of several non-canonical 
books bearing the name of Isaiah referred to by ancient writers 
and so far apparently the only one discovered and identified. 
The book is in two parts, Part I (the Martyrdom) was prob- 
ably composed in the first century B. C. while Part II seems 
to belong to the second century A. D. Later additions were 
made, some of them by a Christian writer. 

The first part deals with the martyrdom of Isaiah whom 
Manasseh causes to be sawn asunder because he has prophesied 
falsely and refuses to admit his error. The prophet calmly 
bears death and derision conversing the while with the Holy 
Spirit. The second part tells how Isaiah in the 20th year of 
Hezekiah fell into a trance and saw a vision. An angel con- 
veys him to the seven heavens, all of which he visits in suc- 
cession, beholding the departed patriarchs and the righteous in 
glory and even God Himself, and learning of the future coming 
of Christ. On his return to earth he tells the vision to the king 
and his council, after which he is put to death. 

11. Various other apocalyptic writings are known to have 
existed but only a few fragments of them have been recovered. 
Among these may be mentioned the Apocalypses of Elias and 



The Apocalyptic Literature 



25 



Zephaniah, the Prayer of Joseph, and the Book of Eldad and 
Medad. 

12. Of late Christian and Jewish apocalypses quite a num- 
ber are known. The Ascension of Paul (Anabaticon Pauli) 
and Revelations of Stephen and Thomas are ascribed to the 
Gnostic period ; the Apocalypse of Peter to the second century ; 
the Apocalypse of Paul to the fourth century. There were also 
a spurious Apocalypse of John, an Apocalypse of Sedrach, and 
an Apocalypse of the Virgin, all of which are late in date. All 
these non-canonical books are very much inferior to the canon- 
ical apocalypse, and do not concern us particularly. 

We observe certain general characteristics in apocalyptic 
writings. 

1. The vision is very prominent. The authors assume the 
part of seers and present to their readers vivid and striking 
pictures, in many cases fantastic and unreal, of what they have 
themselves observed in their assumed role. 

2. The distinction between the world of sense and the world 
of the unseen reality is always in the mind. The writers aim 
at making the unseen real to the senses and mind of their 
readers, and in a way to transcend this dualism. 

3. The apocalypse is always a revelation as the name sig- 
nifies, and may be either (A.) of the mechanism of the other 
world as it affects its inhabitants and this world, or (B.) of the 
purposes of God as expressed in the events of the past, or his 
determined plans for the future. 

4. Again the apocalypse abounds in symbolic figures often 
of the most extraordinary kind. Symbolic numbers frequently 
occur, seven and twelve being specially common. 

5. Angels play a large part in the visions that go to make 
up apocalyptic literature and often an angel is represented as 
accompanying the seer and acting as a friendly guide and inter- 
preter to him. 

6. Pseudonymity is a noticeable characteristic of apocalyptic 
writings, the authors showing a general and well marked pref- 
erance for those who are mentioned in the Old Testament as 
having enjoyed special communications with the spiritual world 
or attained to exceptional holiness and nearness to God. 

7. Apocalyptic literature as a class is designed to comfort 
and encourage those who are suffering affliction or persecu- 
tion. While fully recognizing the greatness of the evil from 



26 



The Revelation of John 



which the people suffer, it is yet filled with an unconquerable 
optimism. It commonly represents the future as very hope- 
ful because certain to bring suffering and destruction to the 
persecutors and peace, deliverance, and exaltation to the afflict- 
ed. 

8. Perhaps more than any other class of writings the 
Apocalypses show signs of having been edited and modified by 
later hands, while many of them are evidently compilations. 

9. Probably it ought to be added that there is no class of 
literature that is so difficult to understand or about which there 
is more general disagreement among students and scholars. 
This is partly due to its nature and partly also to the fact 
that until recent years it received little serious study. 

Apocalyptic literature flourished at a time when prophecy 
was believed to be in suspense. Apocalyptic and prophetic writ- 
ings both claim to expound the character, will, and purposes 
of God as well as the laws and nature of His kingdom. But 
they differ chiefly because they minister to people in vastly 
different circumstances; the latter ministered to people who 
were transgressing or failing to conform to the known law 
of God and therefore called them to repentance, etc. ; the 
former addressed a people who believed themselves to be God's 
people but could not understand why God in His righteousness 
should permit them to suffer at the hands of heathen transgres- 
sors. 

The great aim of apocalyptic literature was to give comfort 
and encouragement to God's suffering people by bringing them 
some message from Him and some hope for the future. It 
tried to answer the question "Why do the righteous suffer if 
God is just?" by explaining that it was according to the Divine 
plan that now the righteous should suffer and the wicked flour- 
ish, but the future had in store a time of judgment and a 
Messianic age; that in this judgment both the righteous and 
the wicked would receive their just deserts, while in the Mes- 
sianic age the righteous would be exalted and flourish, while 
the wicked would be no more. 

From what has been said we may readily draw some con- 
clusions regarding the method of interpretation of apocalyptic 
writings. As the apocalyptic writers had to do with the pres- 
ent and immediate, and not with the distant future, the "futur- 
ist" method of interpretation is excluded. Historical persons, 



The Apocalyptic Literature 27 



nations, or events are represented by figures that have been in- 
vented for the purpose or freely adopted from the Old Testa- 
ment, from tradition, or from other writings, in which case the 
interpreter must distinguish between the author's use of the 
figure and its original significance. The apocalyptic writers 
drew freely on ancient material which they introduced entire 
or modified more or less to suit their purpose. This necessi- 
tates a wise use of literary criticism. Then we must bear in 
mind the underlying religious faith and the immediate prac- 
tical aim of the writer and ask how far his strange descrip- 
tions of the unseen were literal and how far figurative even 
to himself. Then there is the question of whether the vision 
is merely a literary form or was the writer really describing 
actual exstatic experiences. 



Ill 



THE REVELATION OF JOHN AS AN APOCALYPSE 

The Book of Revelation is an apocalypse and bears a close 
relationship to apocalyptic literature in general as may be seen 
by even a casual reader. The following points of likeness may 
be mentioned: 

1. The Book of Revelation is the crown of the golden age 
of apocalyptic literature. Belonging as it does to the latter half 
of the first Christian century it follows in the path of a long 
line of notable Jewish apocalyptic writings all of which it much 
surpasses in real excellence and marks the climax for them, 
while after it nothing approaching its equal appears. 

2. The book takes the form of a vision which begins at 
i:io and continues to xxii:20. 

3. There is always in the author's mind the distinction 
between this world and the other world as he saw it in his 
vision. In evidence of this it is enough to note that he speaks 
from the point of view of one who is in this world, while his 
narrative is a revelation of the other world. 

4. It is a revelation of God's plans and purposes as in- 
dicated in the opening verses. 

5. Symbolic figures and numbers are very common, A. 
Figures: candlesticks and stars i:i2, i:i6, i:20, living creatures 
iv:6-8, horses vi:2, 4, 5, 8, locusts ix:3, the woman xii:i, 
dragon xii:3, the great beast xiii:i, another beast xiii:n, the 
woman and beast xvii:3, etc., B. Numbers: seven is very com- 
mon i:20, v:i, 6, viii:i, 6, etc., x:3, etc., three viii 113, four 
iv:6, viin, twelve vii:5-8, xii:i, ten xiii:i, xvii:3, etc., and 
larger numbers which are mostly multiples of these, as twenty- 
four, one hundred and forty-four thousand, etc. 

6. Angels viin, viii:2, x:i, xiv:6, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18, xv:6, 
etc. Angels accompany the seer and show him sights, and assist 
him to understand them, iv:i, xix:io, xxi:9, xxii:8, etc. 

7. Its aim and purpose is plainly in accord with those of 
apocalyptic literature generally, to encourage faith and endur- 
ance in the midst of severe trial, 1:1-3, ii:5~7, IO > n> 16, 17, 
25-29, iii:2, 3, 5, 9-13, 18-22, vhg, 11, vii:4, 14-17, xiiino, 
xiv:i2, 13, xx:i-3, xxi, xxii, etc. 

In addition to these well defined points of relationship to 

28 



The Revelation of John as an Apocalypse 29 



Jewish apocalyptic literature there are some notable points of 
unlikeness. 

1. The book is not pseudonymous. The author plainly 
designates himself at the beginning and end of the book (i:i, 4, 
9, xxii:8). If this were a pseudonymous designation it is rea- 
sonable to suppose that the writer would be careful to describe 
himself as John the son of Zebedee, or in some such way. As 
he does not do this, and as John was a very common name in 
later Judaism, the New Testament, and the early church, we 
conclude that he is giving his own name as that of the actual 
author. Furthermore he calls his w^ork a prophecy (i:3) and as 
he is conscious of drawing his inspiration direct from Christ and 
His angel he has no need to hide his identity behind the name of 
any biblical saint. 

2. This prophetic spirit finds particular expression in the 
letters to the seven churches. While these occupy a distinctly 
apocalyptic setting their spirit and purpose is distinctly proph- 
etic. It is with actual conditions in the Christian communities 
that they deal, and the praise, blame, encouragements, and 
warnings which they convey are given with so much discern- 
ment and earnestness, and the calls to repentance are so strong 
that we feel the prophetic spirit in them all. 

3. It is very difficult to determine the date and other cir- 
cumstances connected with the issuance of the Jewish apocalyp- 
ses. But our apocalypse plainly announces its author and des- 
tination and its date is sufficiently clear to enable us to determine 
it within two or three decades. 

4. Our apocalypse differs from the Jewish apocalypses in 
that it is distinctly Christian, though doubtless our author drew 
heavily on Jewish sources. The Jewish apocalypse presents a 
narrow sphere of Jewish national hopes and an uncertain and 
unrealized idea of a Jewish Messiah but little or none of the 
finer spirit of patient endurance. Our book, on the other hand, 
exhibits a society whose sphere is the world and whose goal is 
its conquest. For it, Jesus Christ is victorious, ascended, and 
glorified ; and its religious spirit is one of patient suffering, 
unflagging faith, love of the brethren, hatred of evil, and uncon- 
querable hope. 

From these considerations it is evident that our book stands 
in a class by itself, and far excels in merit any other writing 
of its kind. 



IV 



THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN 

Throughout the whole of the first Christian century the 
Roman Empire held almost undisputed sway over the whole of 
the civilized world as it was then known. All northern Africa, 
all western Asia, and all southern and western Europe, includ- 
ing Britain, was then included in its dominions. 

In religious matters the Empire was from one point of view 
very generous and from another exceedingly strict. On the one 
hand the religion of Rome was paganism and each province kept 
its own deities and its own system of worship. On the other 
hand, as time went on Roman authorities came to see that one of 
the strongest forces to hold together the various elements in the 
Empire was religion. The ambitious nature of Augustus 
(Octavianus) led him to be designated as "Pontifex Maximus" 
and it required only another step to reach the stage when 
emperors were considered divine and worshipped as gods. The 
fundamental purpose of the Roman poet Virgil in his great 
epic, "The Aeneid" was to show that the emperors were de- 
scendants from the gods; therefore they were proper subjects 
of worship, and as the Emperor was the official head and the vis- 
ible expression of the Empire, loyalty to the Empire and worship 
of the Emperor came to be closely related and in many cases 
practically the same thing. 

The attitude of the Empire to Christianity in the early 
decades of its existence was on the whole generous. Christi- 
anity seems to have been tolerated and protected as a Jewish sect, 
though occasionally its leaders found themselves imprisoned (as 
Paul on various occasions) or forced to defend themselves in 
Roman courts or before Roman officials, and some even suffered 
death. It is to be noted, however, that in this period these 
difficulties and hardships were due, not to any settled policy of 
opposition to Christianity on the part of the Empire, but to the 
opposition of the Jews or others with whom the representatives 
of Christianity came in contact. 

In the reign of the Emperor Nero, however, the Empire as- 
sumed a different attitude to Christianity; and as this atti- 

30 



The Historical Setting of the Apocalypse of John 31 

tude is due chiefly to Nero himself we must look for a moment 
at him and his reign. 

Nero was the son of Domitius and Agrippina and was born 
in 37 A. D., both his parents belonging to the family of the 
Caesars. Agrippina was a very ambitious woman and given 
to the use of strategy. She first secured her own marriage to 
her uncle, the Emperor Claudius, and then the betrothal of 
Nero to Octavia, the daughter of Claudius, and later the 
adoption of Nero as the son of Claudius and his successor on 
the throne. On the death of Claudius in 54 A. D. through the 
strategy of Agrippina Nero was allowed to take the throne. 
During the early years of his reign his advisors were good 
and his rule beneficent so that he won much personal favor, 
though even then he exhibited qualities which were far from 
commendable, being given to vanity, adulterous amours, and 
nocturnal escapades in which he committed outrages on peace- 
ful citizens. But in 58 A. D. he fell under the influence of 
Poppaea, a Jewess, the wife of Otho (afterwards emperor) 
who aspired to be empress herself and became the chief cause 
of his complete demoralization and many crimes. The appoint- 
ment of evil men to positions of influence, the removal and 
murder of influential senators, the vile and shameless character 
of imperial orgies, the divorce and banishment of Octavia 
through the evidence of perjured witnesses and later her mur- 
der, Nero's espousal of Poppaea and bestowal on her of the 
title of Augusta, the unrestrained extravagance and consequent 
financial embarrassment relieved by oppressive taxation and 
confiscation of the property of wealthy citizens who were charg- 
ed with treason, and the exhibition of Nero himself on the 
stage, — all showed how corrupt his rule had become and how 
vile his private life had grown. 

As Nero was the Caesar to whom St. Paul appealed (Acts 
xxv :n) his relation with the Christians began early. It is 
probable, though not certain, that St. Paul was tried by him in 
person and the common view is that he was acquitted. But in 
A. D. 64 the toleration of the Empire to the Christians ceased. 
A great fire raged for nine days in July of that year totally 
destroying three and partially destroying seven of the fourteen 
districts of the city. Nero himself was commonly blamed as 
the cause of the conflagration but whether guilty or not has 
never been proven. Nero, however, blamed the Christians, 



32 



The Revelation of John 



many of whom were brought to trial and convicted not so much 
of incendiarism as of hatred of the human race. The sentence 
of conviction was most brutally executed, some were covered 
with the skins of wild beasts and worried to death by dogs while 
others were covered with pitch and set on fire at night to 
illumine Nero's gardens. In this persecution under Nero we 
recognize a step in the development of the Imperial policy 
against the Christians from persecution for alleged particular 
crimes to persecution because they were Christians, though 
just when this stage was completed is a disputed point. 

In A. D. 65 a conspiracy was organized to depose Nero, but 
its existence was disclosed before its object was accomplished, 
and its leaders were put to death. Then a reign of terror fol- 
lowed. Almost every prominent citizen against whom any 
pretext could be found was executed. The murderous frenzy 
of the emperor was matched by the callousness of the public 
and the servility of the senate which out did itself in voting 
divine honors to Nero and to Poppaea. Amid all his vices 
Nero continued to be a devotee of art. He played on the lyre, 
sang, posed as an orator, wrote poetry and gave attention to 
sculpture, acted on the public stage and was an accomplished 
charioteer. A visit to Greece in A. D. 66 gave him fresh op- 
portunity to exercise both his murderous frenzy and his de- 
votion to art. While the slaughter continued in Rome many 
eminent and wealthy citizens in Greece shared the same fate 
at his bidding. At the Greek games which were crowded into 
his visit he found opportunity to enjoy what appeared to be 
even greater appreciation of his talents then he had received at 
Rome, for every notable prize was awarded him so that he 
attained the coveted distinction of universal victor. 

On his return to Rome he found strong and organized op- 
position, but it was then too late to stem the tide of insurrec- 
tion. A conspiracy had been formed to put Galba governor of 
Hither Spain on the throne. Nero fled in disguise from the 
city to the suburban villa of a faithful friend where he com- 
mitted suicide to avoid a more ignominious fate as emissaries 
of the senate drew near. This was in A. D. 68. So obscure 
was his death that it was commonly believed that he had not 
really died but was in hiding or had fled to Parthia and would 
appear again to claim the throne of the Empire. Indeed sev- 
eral pretended Neros arose to take advantage of his supposed 



The Historical Setting of the Apocalypse of John 33 

survival and several later writers refer to it. 

This was the beginning of the great persecution of the 
Christians by the state, a persecution which with more or less 
interruption lasted for two hundred and fifty years until Con- 
stantine by his famous edict issued in 313 A. D. brought re- 
ligious freedom. 

In general it may be said that during the latter half of the 
first century A. D. the Empire was at the zenith of its power 
and glory. Its conquest and rule had brought much benefit to 
the different peoples in its wide dominions and made the advent 
and progress of Christianity possible. But while at the acme 
of its excellence internal decay and disintegration were well 
advanced. Riches and luxury and vice were perhaps more 
common than ever before among its people. Devotion to the 
old religious ideals had waned and the only thing to take its 
place was the worship of the Emperor. 

In as much as the Apocalypse of John is addressed more 
particularly to Christians in the Roman province of Asia, and 
especially to those in seven cities definitely named we must 
survey conditions more closely there. 

The Roman province of Asia between 50 and 100 A. D. 
included most of the western half of what is now known as the 
peninsula of Asia Minor. It comprised Mysia, Lydia, Caria, 
a large part of Phrygia, and a number of islands off the west 
coast in the Aegean Sea. The province as thus formed was 
bounded on the north by the Sea of Marmora and Bithynia, 
on the east by Galatia, on the south by Lycia, and on the west 
by the Aegean Sea. It reached inward a distance of some three 
hundred English miles from the coast while its greatest breadth 
north and south was about two hundred and sixty. It was 
one of the wealthiest and most populous of the Roman prov- 
inces as well as one of the most loyal to the Empire. Augustus 
was deified as the Saviour of mankind and worshipped most 
enthusiastically in public and in private as God incarnate. 
The part of the province with which we are more particularly 
concerned was watered by four rivers, the Caicus, Hermus, 
Cayster, and Maeander, and broken by three ranges of hills, 
Sipylus, Tmolus, and Messogis. Asia was remarkable for the 
number and importance of her cities, Adramytium, Alabanda, 
Apamea, Ephesus, Laodicea, Pergamum, Sardis, Smyrna, 
Synnada, Cyzicus, Philomelium, and Tralles were all import- 



34 The Revelation of John 

ant, while many others were worthy of note such as Colossae, 
Dorylaeum, Eumenia, Hierapolis, Magnesia, Miletus, Phila- 
delphia, Priene and Thyatira. Among the more important 
towns there was a keen rivalry, several claiming the dignity 
of a "metropolis," and the rank and title of "first of Asia." 

The people of the province were among the most active 
intellectually in the whole Empire. No people on the whole 
continent of Asia were better educated, more highly civilized 
or more completely Hellenized. In most of the western part 
the native languages had disappeared and been replaced by 
Greek. Religion also was outwardly Hellenized in the cities, 
but only outwardly as the original ritual and character was 
retained, and in the rural districts even the outward form. 
There was much of unity in diversity and diversity in unity 
among the people. Especially was there diversity in race, 
language, customs, and religion, though the constant aim of 
the Imperial rule was to make out of the many diverse ele- 
ments a unified Graeco-Roman province. No attempt was 
made to crush out the different languages, though Greek was 
the only one recognized, nor to destroy the ancient religious 
customs, though all must perform the required religious rites 
to the Emperor. Ultimately the attempt at unification proved 
unsuccessful. 

The persecution of the Christians in the province was really 
the attempt to enforce this unifying process in matters of re- 
ligion. The Jews were an important element in the popula- 
tion of the province and among them there was always a certain 
unity of feeling. They were resident aliens who for purposes 
of trade or otherwise remained often for long periods, and 
Jews who had acquired the franchise and freedom of Roman 
citizenship. But the Jewish religious scruples were always 
respected, though this exception was a continued pain to the 
Hellenic citizens. Then from the time of Paul's missionary 
journeys there was an influential and growing body of Chris- 
tians in all the chief centres and many of the more obscure 
places and smaller towns of the province. Asia Minor after- 
wards became the stronghold of Christianity. While sufficient- 
ly numerous and influential to force, recognition from their 
pagan neighbors, the Christians were yet far from attaining the 
ideal of excellence which they should have reached, as a study 
of the seven letters in the Apocalypse will show. All the evi- 



The Historical Setting of the A pocalypse of John 35 



dence we have goes to show that no exception was made for the 
Christians as for the Jews in religious matters. Everywhere 
in Asia they found themselves in conflict with a paganism which 
entered every phase of the life of the people. Indeed their re- 
fusal to comply with the outward legal forms of the state re- 
ligion was the immediate cause of the persecutions they suffered. 
Then there were the pagans, differing according to their race 
and religious association and their contact with Greek and 
Roman influences, and many degraded from practises loathsome 
and vile in the extreme. These elements, pagan, Jewish, and 
Christian entered into the life of the larger cities and more im- 
portant towns. Those who made up the Christian churches 
came invariably from one or more of these three classes. 1. 
The children of Christian parents ^who were thus all their lives 
Christians. There would be a few of these as early as A. D 
70 and a considerable percentage of them in the Church by the 
close of the century. 2. The Jews who had embraced Christ 
and became Christians. These would be familiar with the 
Synagogue and its services and in some ways were the best 
prepared to be the strength and support of the Christian com- 
munities. 3. Then there were the pagans that had received the 
gospel. Everywhere in the province of Asia, Christianity found 
itself opposed to the Jewish and pagan systems, both of which 
were deeply rooted in the interests of their respective classes of 
people and affected their entire spheres of life. 

We can see how slowly but certainly things were shaping for 
a great religious conflict in the province of Asia. As time went 
on it was becoming continually more evident that the new 
religion must measure itself with the old in a life and death 
struggle. This conflict had emerged when the Apocalypse was 
written. While the same thing in a general way took place 
wherever the Gospel was preached and received, the province 
of Asia was the great battle ground, because it was the meeting 
place of east and west and the place where Christianity ob- 
tained its first great foothold. 

It was not merely a conflict between a new religion and an 
old for supremacy but, as the writer of the Apocalypse and the 
little Christian Church saw it, two empires that were engaged 
in deadly conflict; on the one hand there was the Kingdom of 
Christ, of which the Christian Church was the earthly embodi- 
ment and expression, and on the other there was the world 



36 The Revelation of John 

power of Rome. The Empire stood behind paganism as its 
strength and support and thus as the power and expression of 
Satan in the world. The great conflict therefore appears as a 
conflict between God and Satan, Christ and Anti-Christ; and 
while the strife is a long one, the ultimate issue in the mind 
of the seer is never in doubt. Christ will triumph over all 
His enemies and come off more than conqueror. The Book 
of Revelation is a vivid picture of the combatants and the con- 
flict, as well as a prophecy of the outcome. 



A 



V 



ITS AUTHOR 

The Apocalypse of John clearly indicates its author in chap- 
ter i: I, 4, 9, and xxii: 8. This however merely informs us 
that his name was John, but does not enable us certainly to 
identify him with any one of the many persons of that name. 
He does indeed call himself the servant of Jesus Christ and 
says that he was in the isle which is called Patmos for the 
word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. By this expres 
sion he seems to mean that he was there because he had borne 
testimony to Christ, and therefore had been a consistent active 
Christian condemned to exile for a definite or indefinite period. 
He also appears to claim the rank and authority of a prophet 
(xxii: 9), John was a very common name in the first century 
of our era; at least five different persons are thus designated in 
the New Testament. From early times the prevailing opinion has 
been that the author of the Apocalypse was the son of Zebedee 
and one of the twelve apostles of our Lord, but the evidence 
as it has come down to us is by no means conclusive. A sup- 
posed "John the Elder ,, has from early times been recognized 
as the author, but it has been as hard to determine who he is as 
to identify the author of our book. Indeed the only safe con- 
clusion is that to which most scholars have come, namely that 
we cannot identify the author beyond his own statements at the 
beginning and end of his book. A few scholars have taken the 
position that the book is pseudonymous, but that view seems 
hardly tenable as in that case it would seem only natural that 
the writer would declare his identity with the apostle of the 
same name as do the writers of the apocryphal apocalypses of 
Paul and John. 



37 



VI 



ITS DATE 

There is almost universal agreement that the Apocalypse was 
written in the last third of the first Christian century, but 
whether near the beginning of it or towards the close has been 
a much disputed point. The consensus of opinion in the early 
Christian Church was that it was written in the closing years 
of the reign of the Emperor Domitian, say 90-96 A. D. while 
some later, though still ancient, writers hold that it was writ- 
ten during the reign of Claudius, Nero, or Trajan. The chief 
arguments on which a conclusion must be based are the follow- 
ing: (A.) Tlie condition of the churches as indicated in the 
epistles to the seven churches. (B.) The general historical 
situation in the Empire and the province of Asia as indicated 
or implied in the book. (C.) Some who assume the unity of 
the book and believe that it was written by the same person as 
the Fourth Gospel maintain that the Apocalypse is the earlier 
because, as they say, less developed in style and thought than 
the Gospel. (D.) The testimony of early Christian writers. 

With regard to these points it may be said that they seem tp 
point clearly to the later date, though fresh evidence may be 
discovered any time that will reverse this conclusion. The con- 
dition of the churches in the province as indicated in the book 
generally and in chapter ii — iii in particular appears to present 
aspects that had not begun to emerge in the time of Paul's 
missionary journeys nor even when he wrote his epistles to the 
churches there. The general historical situation implied or 
presented is one that our present knowledge does not enable us 
to discover in that part of the Empire until the closing years of 
the reign of Domitian. The testimony of early Christian 
writers is almost unanimous for the later date while the uncer- 
tainty regarding the authorship of the book makes it impossible 
to compare it with the Fourth Gospel. 



38 



VII 



ITS UNITY 

Is the Apocalypse of John as it lies before us a literary unity 
or can we find in it distinct evidence of two or more different 
authors ? 

For dual or multiple authorship it is argued; (A.) that as 
prophetic books such as Isaiah and Zechariah and apocalypses 
such as Enoch are of composite authorship, we may expect to 
find the Book of Revelation composite also ; ( B ) want of 
formal and material connection showing itself in distinctive 
breaks like these at iii: 22, vii: 17, xi: 19, xiii: 18, xiv: 20, xvi: 
21 ; (C.) the repetitions of the same thing in different connec- 
tions, e. g., the 144,000 in vii: 4ff and xiv: iff, the Beast in 
xiii: iff and xvii, the New Jerusalem in xxi: 2 and xxii: 9, 
the Lamb in v: 6 and xiv: 1, (D.) the Last Judgment appearing 
at two widely separated points in the development of the book, 
i. at xiv: 14 ff and xxii: nff ; (E.) different conceptions 
of Christ revealed in i: I3ff, v: 6, xiv: 14, etc., and of the 
Church in xii: iff, xvii: 7, xxi: 2, etc.; (F.) the different dates 
apparently implied in different parts of the book such as xi: 
iff, xiii : 18, xvii : iof. 

On the other hand the evidences of unity of authorship are 
numerous and unmistakable. Among these are: (A.) The 
beginning and end claims to be from the same author, i: 1, 4, 
9, xxi: 2, xxii, while the same person seems to be indicated in 
various other places through the book, e. g. i: 10, 12, 17, 19, 
iv: 1, 2, 4, v: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 11, 13, vi: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 
vii: 1, 2, 4, 9, I3, # H> viii: 2, 13, ix: 1, 13, 16, 17, x: 1, 4, 5, 8, 
9, 10, 11, xi: 1, xii: 10, xiii: 1, 2, 3, 11, xiv: 1, 2, 6, 13, 14, xv: 
1, 2, 5, xvi: 1, 5, 7, 13, xvii: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 15, 18, xviii: 1, 4, xix: 
-1, 6, 9, 10, 11, 17, 19, xx: 1, 4, 11, 12, xxi: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 
^15, 22, xxii: 1, 6, 9, 10. (B.) This is seen also in a similarity 
of phraseology, e. g. i : 1 and iv : 1 and xxii : 6, i : 3 and xxii : 7, 
i: 3 and xxii: 10, i: 8 and xxi: 6 and xxii: 12, i: 17 and xxii: 
13, ii: 7 and xxii: 17, ii: 7, 11, 17, 26, iii: 5, 12, 21 and xxi: 7, 
ii: 11 and xx: 6, 14 and xxi 8, ii: 28 and xxii: 16, iii: 11 and 
xxii: 12, iii: 12 and xxi: 2, i: 10 and iv:2, iv: 6 and xv: 2, 

39 



40 



The Revelation of John 



v: 5 and xxii: 16, v: 10 and i: 6, ix: i and xx: i, x: i and 
i: I4f, xi: I and xxi: 15, xi: 7 and xvii: 8, xii: 9 and xx: 2, xiv: 
13 and ii: 7 etc., xiv: 14 and i: 13, xv: 6 and i: 13, xvi: 15 and 
iii: 3, xvii: 1 and xxi: 9, xix: 12 and i: 14. These instances, 
with others that might be given, offer strong indication that the 
same hand has been busy throughout the book, and that, it 
would seem, can hardly be other than the person named as the 
author in i: 1, 4, 9, xxi: 2 and xxii: 8. (C.) Certain unusual 
words and forms occur and are frequently repeated, e. g., 
a/W<7os in chapters ix, xi, xvii, xx, aSiKelv to hurt in ii, vi, vii, 
ix, xi, xxii, /focravioyxds in ix, xiv, xviii, 8td8rjfxa in xii, xiii, xix, 
SpaKCDV in xii, xiii, xvi, xx, evayyeXl^etv in x, xiv, ©povos in i, ii, 
iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, xi, xii, xiii, xiv, xvi, xix, xx, xxi, xxii, 
Kavfxa in vii, xvi, KpvoraWos in iv, xxii, fieyiardv in vi, xviii, 
fitcrovpdvrjiJLa in viii, xiv, xix, fioXvvetv in iii, xiv, olKov/xivq in 
iii, xii, xvi, iravroKparwo in i, iv, xi, xv, xvi, xix, xxi, (tvvkolvwv€lv 
— yds in 1, xviii, (nfid^etv in v, vi, xiii, xviii, (/>ap/xa/aa, <^ap^a/cov, 
(jxipfACLKos in ix, xviii, xxi, xxii, fadXr] in v, xv, xvi, xxi, x^pay/xa 
in xiii, xiv, xvi, xix, xx. (D.) The number seven occurs 
very frequently throughout the book, e. g., seven churches i: 4, 
11, 20, ii: 1, iii: 22, seven stars i: 16, 20, seven lamps i: 12, 
20, iv: 5, seven seals v: 1, seven horns and seven eyes v: 6, 
seven spirits of God v: 6, seven angels and seven trumpets 
viii: 2, seven thunders x: 3, seven heads xiii: 1, seven angels 
having seven last plagues xv: 1, xvii: 1, xxi: 9, seven golden 
bowls xv : 7, xvii: 1, seven heads xvii: 3, 9, seven kings xvii: 
10. Similarly but to a less degree the numbers three, ten, and 
twelve with their powers. (E.) There are many words and 
phrases that indicate a continuity of thought, e. g. "Before 
his throne'' in i: 4 anticipates the vision in chap. iv. "After 
this I looked," in iv: 1 connects what follows with what pre- 
cedes; "him that sat on the throne" in v: 1 shows that he still 
has in mind the throne and its occupant of chap, iv; similarly 
"the Lamb opened one of the seals" connects chap, vi with v: 
6, 12; the throne, the elders, and the Lamb are still before him 
in vii: 9-17; in viii: 1 we find "the seventh seal" expanding 
into "the seven trumpets" but when the seventh trumpet is 
sounded in xi: 15 the twenty-four elders of iv: 4 are still prom- 
inent (vs. 16) ; it seems reasonable to believe that the phrase 
"in the heaven" of xii: 1 points to the same vision as the same 
phrase in iv: 1, in xiv: 3 the figures of the throne, beasts, and 



Its Unity 



41 



elders of chap iv are still in plain view, thus showing that there 
is yet no break in the scene although it has been changing con- 
tinually; the beast of xv: 2 seems to be the same as that of 
xiii: 1; the four beasts of xv: 7 are evidently the same as iv: 
6; xvi: 2 and 10 shows that the features of xiii: 15-17 are still 
present; xvii: 1 shows that what follows is connected with xv: 
6 and xvi : 1 ; Babylon of xvii : 5 appears to be the same as 
Babylon of xiv: 8 and xviii: 2 and xviii: 21 ; the beast of xix: 
19 appears to be the same as that of xiii: iff and the false 
prophet of xix: 20 the same as the second beast of xiii: n£E; 
the dragon of xx: 2 appears to be the one of xii: 3ff ; xx: 10 
connects us with xix: 20; xxi: 5 and xxii: 3 show us that the 
throne and its occupant of chap, iv are still in view; while 
xxii: 16 links the last sentences of the book with the first in 
i: 4. Many other points might be mentioned but these are 
surely enough to show that the narrative of the book is such 
as to stamp it as the work of one author. We may then say 
that throughout the book claims to be the work of one author, 
John, and that claim is strongly substantiated by the language 
and trend of thought of the book. 

In view of these facts what must be our conclusion? To 
the mind of the present writer only one conclusion is reasonably 
possible, — that the book throughout in its present form is the 
work of one author. This does not exclude the probability 
that the author drew largely on the Old Testament and Jewish 
apocalypses for his material, nor the possibility of the book as we 
have it being a revision by a later hand than that of the original 
author, nor the possibility that some portions were written 
earlier than others. As for the supposed indications of dual or 
multiple authorship, they can be easily explained, though not 
fully or satisfactorily until the interpretation of the book as a 
unity has been reached. The fact that other prophetic and 
apocalyptic books are known to be of composite authorship 
would not be a reason for asserting positively that ours was of 
the same character though it would be a good reason for sus- 
picion in the matter. The so-called breaks in the narrative are 
almost inevitable in a book of this sort and are to be explained, 
not as indicating different authorship, but as marking a trans- 
ference of the author's attention from one feature to another of 
the continually changing scenes that he is describing. This 



42 The Revelation of John 

will appear more clearly in the exposition and explain as well 
the so-called repetitions. Surely the same author may view 
Christ and the Church from different angles and refer to events 
of different dates. It is hoped that careful reading of the ex- 
position will convince the reader that this is the case. 



VIII 



ITS DESTINATION AND PURPOSE 

The destination of the Revelation of John is clearly indicated 
in i : 4, n as the Christian churches in seven of the cities of the 
Roman Province of Asia, viz. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, 
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. But there are 
some indications that the author had in mind a wider circle of 
readers as well. The expressions, "to show to his servants" 
in i: i, "he that reads and they that hear" i: 3, "He who has 
an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" ii: 7, 
11, 17, 29, iii: 6, 13, 22, "to show to his servants" xxii: 6, "he 
who keeps the words" xxii: 7, "they that wash their robes" 
xxii: 14, "to testify to you these things for the churches" xxii: 
16, "him that hears ... is thirsty . . . one that 
will . . . everyone that hears," xxii: 17, 18, seem to point 
in this direction and to indicate that while primarily the 
churches named were the ones to which the book was addressed, 
he thought it might reach Christians in the province generally 
and even throughout the world. And this conclusion receives 
some confirmation when we study the reason for the selection 
of these particular seven churches, 

The purpose of the bogk is plainly indicated in i: 1-3, "to 
show to his servants what must quickly come to pass." (Also 
xxii: 6). We note that with the exception of the first three 
verses the book is in the form of a letter, and really bears all the 
characteristics of a letter as letters were written in those days, 
indicating at the beginning who is the writer and to whom it is 
written (i: 4). It consists wholly of visions and revelations 
which he has seen and has been commanded (i: 11) with one 
exception (x: 4) to write in a book and send. While it is an 
apocalypse it is therefore an epistle also. In the first three chap- 
ters special reference is made to the internal condition of the 
churches in the seven cities mentioned, which were, no doubt, 
similar to those of the province generally. From the beginning 
of chap, iv to the end of the book it is the external circumstances 
that the church as a whole has to meet that are continually in 
view. When we consider these facts, and bear in mind the his- 

43 



44 



The Revelation of John 



torical circumstances we see that the author's real purpose is to 
strengthen the faith of the Christians and thus cheer them in 
their great struggle with the pagan and Imperial forces. He 
will let them know the real character of their opponents and 
assure them that in spite of their apparently despotic sway their 
downfall is certain, and right arid truth and Christ will surely 
prevail. He must, however, write in a way that his enemies 
will not understand for if they did it would bring down more 
terrible sufferings than even those which they were otherwise 
called upon to endure. He therefore selects the apocalypse as 
the literary form best suited to his purpose; but this makes the 
work of the modern interpreter of the book especially difficult. 



IX 



ITS SYMBOLISM 

Like other apocalyptic writings the Apocalypse of John 
abounds in imagery and numbers used in a symbolic way. 
Throughout the Old Testament symbols are frequently used 
and many of the symbols used by our author were evidently 
suggested by the Old Testament, though some are original and 
new. All departments of nature and life are drawn upon. 
Sometimes the imagery is not symbolism at all but is intended 
to give color to the scene ; often when it is symbolic its meaning 
is so clear that it can scarcely be misunderstood, while in other 
cases there is room for considerable difference of opinion and 
the interpretation is uncertain. 

Numbers occur very frequently in the book, 2, 3, 3^, 4, 5, 
6, 7, 10, 12, 24, 42, 144, 666 (or perhaps 616), 1,000, 1,260, 
1,600, 7,000, 12,000, 144,000, 100,000,000, 200,000,000. Of 
these seven is by far the most frequent, then twelve, ten, and 
four occur often, and many of the larger numbers are multiples 
of them. The number seven to the Hebrew denoted comple- 
tion, while ten is a round number, and three and a half is a 
broken seven. While a Hebrew origin is claimed for the sym- 
bolism of the Apocalypse we must also remember that pagan 
religion, literature, and art in Proconsular Asia in John's time 
were largely symbolic and that it may have been very desirable 
to provide the Church with a counteracting symbolism. 



45 



X 



ITS CONTENTS AND PLAN 

The Book of Revelation is really an apocalypse in the form 
of a letter, introduced by a few sentences which explains its 
origin and purpose in a way so striking that the reader's atten- 
tion is at once arrested. In chap, i: 1-3 we have this introduc- 
tion: while the remainder of the book is the letter. 

In the letter we have the following well marked divisions. 
Following the time, place, and other circumstances we have 
an account of his first great vision, — a vision of Christ in the 
midst of the churches. Christ Himself is here the prominent 
figure, and He is represented as risen and glorified. The 
vision is partly explained to John who is smitten prostrate by 
its magnificence but is lifted up and told not to be afraid, but 
to write what he sees and send it to the seven churches of Asia 
which are named. A special message is sent to each church, 
indicating an exact knowledge of its nature and circumstances 
as well as a keen appreciation of its merits and defects coupled 
with such warnings and promises as are needful, and the vision 
passes. 

At iv: 1 we have the beginning of the second great vision. He 
sees a door opened in the heaven and hears a trumpet voice 
summoning him to come up there and be shown things which 
must be hereafter. Again he is "in the spirit" and looks upon 
another matchless scene. The throne in heaven appears (chap, 
iv), and in the hand of its occupant a sealed roll (v: iff) which 
the Lamb undertakes to open (v: 5-14). The first six seals 
are opened (chap, vi), but before the seventh is opened 144,000 
from the tribes of Israel are sealed (vii: 1-8) and an hymn of 
praise to God and the Lamb is sung (vii: 9-17) by a great mul- 
titude before the throne. Then the seventh seal is opened and 
the first four of seven trumpets sound (chap, viii: 1-13) ; the 
fifth brings the first woe (ix: 1-11) and the sixth the second 
woe (ix: 12-21), while the angel with the little book (x: x-11), 
the measuring of the temple, and the episode of the two wit- 
nesses (chap, xi: 1-14) precede the sounding of the seventh 
trumpet or third woe (xi: 15-19). The narrative proceeds to 

46 



Its Contents and Plan 



47 



recount the appearances of a woman and her child and the at- 
tack of a great red dragon on her (xii) , the two beasts (xiii), 
the appearance of the 144,000 (xiv: 1-5), the flying angels 
(xiv: 6-13) with the harvest and vintage scenes (xiv: 14-20). 
Then follow the seven bowls (xv and xvi), Babylon seated on 
the beast (xvii) and her doom (xviii), after which we have 
the celebrations of triumph and praise of the people of God 
(xix: 1 -10). Then there are the descriptions of the crowned 
warrior, a great battle, and the feast of the slain, (xix: 11-21). 
In chap, xx we are told of the binding of Satan, the millennium, 
the two resurrections, the final conflict and judgment (xx), 
while in xxi and xxii we have the new heaven and the new 
earth, the holy city, and the paradise of God (xxi: 1 — xxii: 5). 
The book closes with an epilogue and benediction (xxii: 6-21). 
This may be tabulated as follows: 

I. The Preface; chap, i: 1-3. 

II. The General Introduction; chap, i: 4-8. 

III. The First Vision; chap, i: 9 — iii: 22. 

1. Christ in the midst of the churches; chap, i: 9-20. 

2. The messages to the seven churches; chap, ii: 1 — 

iii: 22. 

IV. The Second Vision; chap, iv: 1 — xxii: 5. 

1. The throne in heaven; chap, iv: 1-11. 

2. The sealed book and the Lamb; chap, v: 1-14. 

3. The opening of the seals; chap, vi: 1 — viii: 1. 

A. The opening of the first six seals; chap, vi: 1-1 7. 

B. Sealing of 144,000; chap, vii: 1-17. 

C. The opening of the seventh seal; chap, viii: 1. 

4. The seven trumpets; chap, viii: 2 — xi: 19. 

A. The first four trumpets; chap, viii: 2-13. 

B. The fifth trumpet or first woe; chap, ix: 1-12. 

C. The sixth trumpet or second woe; chap, ix: 13 — 

xi: 14. 

(1) The first stage of the woe; chap, ix: 13-21. 

(2) The angel with the little book; chap, x: 1-11. 

(3) Measuring the temple; chap, xi: 1-3. 

(4) The two witnesses; chap, xi: 4-13. 

D. The seventh trumpet or third woe; chap, xi: 14-19. 

5. The hideous monsters; chap, xii: 1 — xiii: 18. 
A. The woman and the dragon; chap, xii: 1-17. 



48 



The Revelation of John 



B. The first beast from the sea; chap, xiii: i-io. 

C. The second beast from the land; chap, xiii: 11-18. 

6. The great ingathering; chap, xiv: 1-20. 

A. The Lamb and his company on Mount Zion; 

vs. 1-5. 

B. The angel with the gospel; vs. 6 and 7. 

C. Announcement of Babylon's fall; vs. 8-1 1. 

D. Blessedness of the saints; vs. 12 and 13. 

E. The reaper and his work; vs. 14-20. 

7. The time of judgment; chap, xv: 1— xx: 15. 

A. The seven last plagues; chap, xv: 1 — xvi: 21. 

B. The judgment of Babylon; chap, xvii: I- — xviii: 24. 

C. The thanksgiving to God; chap, xix: 1-10. 

D. The victor and the slain; chap, xix: 11 -21. 

E. Final conflicts and victories; chap, xx: 1-15. 

8. The bliss at last; chap, xxi: 1— xxii: 5. 

A. The new Jerusalem; chap, xxi: 1-27. 

B. The paradise of God; chap, xxii: 1-5. 

V. The General Conclusion ; chap, xxii : 6-20. 

VI. Benediction; chap, xxii: 21. 



XI 



ITS INTERPRETATION 

The interpretation of the Book of Revelation has proved to 
be a task of great difficulty. Almost from the first it has re- 
ceived the attention of students of the New Testament, but the 
results of the study given it by scholars have varied widely both 
in detail and in principle. This section will indicate the view 
taken by the writer and the lines which he believes should be 
pursued in the detailed interpretation of the book. While no 
one will dispute that all the established principles of New 
Testament interpretation ought to be followed faithfully unless 
good and sufficient reason can be shown for disregarding them, 
yet in a book of the nature of the Apocalypse of John special 
attention ought to be given to the following points because they 
have been so often neglected: 

1. Due consideration must be given to the literary charac- 
ter of the book. We must always remember that it is an 
apocalypse and therefore must be interpreted as an apocalypse, 
in as much as it uses the language and symbols of apocalyptic 
literature and possesses the same general characteristics. A 
careful study of the non-canonical Christian and Jewish apo- 
calypses of the period to which the author belongs, and especially 
of the other apocalyptic portions of the Bible (of which the 
Book of Daniel is the chief) will be of considerable assistance to 
us and some attention has been given to them in an earlier sec- 
tion of this Introduction. But we must at the same time dis- 
tinguish between the real message of the book and the form 
in which that message is conveyed, and remember that phrases 
and imagery of the apocalyptic type may be no more than the 
scenery of the picture conveying the real message. 

2. Then we must always keep in mind the position and 
purpose of the writer of the book and the circumstances of those 
to whom it was written. The book arose in clearly defined 
historical circumstances and it is surely as foolish to try to un- 
derstand its meaning without a knowledge of those as it would 
be to try to understand the words of Jesus or the Epistles of 
Paul without a knowledge of the situation in which they arose, 



49 



5o 



The Revelation of John 



and no one tries to do this with parts of the Scripture which 
arose in well known circumstances. Why then should it be 
done with those parts the historical surroundings of the origin 
of which we do not know? Surely it is better to assume that 
they arose to meet a particular need, and that they can be rightly 
understood in the first instance only in their relation to those 
surroundings, than it is to assume that they had no bearing on 
the circumstances of their time but were designed by their 
authors to map out the distant future or supply the spiritual 
needs of the people of some remote age. The Book of Revela- 
tion is in the form of a letter to seven definite local churches in 
Asia Minor, the conditions and circumstances of which it gives 
with considerable detail in its opening chapters. We must con- 
clude then, both on general principles and on the evidence in 
this particular instance, that the book is an answer to the great 
need of the Christian churches to which it is addressed. When 
our author lifts the veil of the future, it is for the purpose of 
arousing his readers to trust in God, be faithful to Christ, have 
confidence in the ultimate triumph of righteousness, be patient 
in their severe trials, and be hopeful in the prospect of death, 
and not to predict the medieval and modern history of Europe. 

3. It must be remembered, too, that in a book of this sort, 
plainly so difficult, much weight should be given to every clear 
indication which it contains as to its own meaning. In our 
volume these indications are quite numerous. The writer claims 
to be divinely commissioned to convey a revelation to the 
churches (chap, i: 1-3, 11, 18). Its purpose is plainly indicated 
(i: 1, 3, xxii; 16). The meaning of the seven stars and the 
seven lamps is explained in i: 20; of those arrayed in white 
robes in vii: 14; the number of the beast is explained as the 
number of a man in xiii: 18; in xiv: 8 Babylon is called a great 
city; in xvi: 13, 14, the three unclean spirits like frogs are de- 
clared to be the spirits of devils ; the mystery of the woman and 
the beast that carries her is explained in xvii: 7ff; other ex- 
planations or interpretations are given in iv: 5, v: 8, xx: 5, 14, 
xxi: 8. 

4. Nor must we overlook in this connection the importance 
of a wise use of literary criticism. Such questions as the proper 
determination of the correct text of the book, the source of the 
author's material, (i. e., whether his own production or ob- 



Its Interpretation 



51 



tained in the Old Testament or elsewhere), and if not his own 
production is his use of it the same as its original significance. 
These and similar questions are not often considered in the fol- 
lowing pages, but are discussed only when the occasion par- 
ticularly requires it. In the case of the text reliance is chiefly 
placed on the work of others, while in the case of the material, 
it is often very difficult to determine its source, and even when 
that can be determined it is of little value as our author ex- 
hibits complete independence in its use. 

5. Light and assistance from any and every source should be 
welcomed. Here we are particularly indebted to the arch- 
aeologist and the historical investigator for such help, Sir 
Wm. Ramsay being entitled to special mention in this connec- 
tion. 

6. Believing then, that our author and his volume are what 
they claim to be, and that the book before us must be in- 
terpreted in the light of the circumstances and purpose of its 
author as therein indicated, we have a clear indication of a 
system of interpretation which in recent years has been growing 
in favor with students of the Bible, and in the case of the 
Apocalypse of John offers the only reasonable hope of a satis- 
factory interpretation of the book. An interpretation conducted 
on these lines will be distinct from all the chief systems of 
apocalyptic interpretation though with each of them it will 
have points of contact. 

Bearing in mind, then, that the book is a letter in the form 
of an apocalypse, written and sent by John who is in exile in 
Patmos, to his fellow Christians in the Roman province of 
Asia, and remembering that it is designed to encourage and 
strengthen them to meet a great trial of faith, we proceed to 
our task of considering it in detail. 



PART II 



\ 



EXPOSITION 



I 

Preface i: 1-3. 

Here the following points are worthy of note : 

1. The title of the book is "The Revelation of John/' 
('ATTOKaXvij/Ls 'Iwdvvov, or y I<odvov) , or using the transliterated 
Greek word, "Apocalypse of John," occurring also in the open- 
ing verse. The title thus indicates the nature of the book and 
connects it with the class of literature to which it properly be- 
longs. This title goes back to the second century, though not 
belonging to the book in its earliest form; and although the 
author calls it, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," (i: 1) the 
consensus of Christian sentiment after his day kept his name 
in the title and as time passed two other epithets, "saint" and 
"divine" were added until the title became as in our Authorized 
Version "The Revelation of Saint John the Divine." 

2. The source of the book is given clearly and in detail "The 
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him . . . 
and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John." 
Here we learn: 

A. The real and ultimate source of the book is God. 

B. It is a revelation "of Jesus Christ." Does this mean that 
Jesus Christ is the one who is revealed or the one to whom the 
revelation is given? When we remember that the book exalts 
and glorifies Jesus throughout, we are constrained to believe that 
the words mean that He is the one who is revealed; while the 
next words, "which God gave to Him," certainly indicate that 
He is the recipient of the revelation. Probably the truth is to 
be found in a union of both views. A parallel case is found in 
John xvii: 24 where Jesus refers to His glory as given Him by 
God. It is as if God draws the veil and allows Christ Him- 
self to appear. 

C. The revelation is effected through the instrumentality of 
an angel who is later mentioned, (xxii: 8). 

D. But John is the human source through which it comes, 
and humanly speaking is its author, bearing testimony to it in 
the words, spoken in the third person^ "who bore witness of the 

55 



56 



The Revelation of John 



word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, of as many 
things as he saw." In these words the phrases "word of God," 
"testimony of Jesus Christ," and "as many things as he saw," 
(ocra tiSev), may be understood either as different designations 
of the revelation contained in his book generally, or more ex- 
actly, as that revelation viewed as coming from God, Christ, 
or himself. However, there are some interpreters, such as Dr. 
Hort, who regard the words as referring to John's confession 
of Jesus Christ before men and not to the visions of the Apo- 
calypse. 

3. The purpose of the book is indicated as well "To show 
unto his servants what must quickly come to pass." The revela- 
tion is for the benefit of the people of God, and concerns the 
immediate, not the distant future. These words and similar 
expressions in vs. 3 and xxii: 6, 7, 10, completely exclude all 
interpretations of the book based on the idea that it primarily 
refers to the distant future. 

4. Emphasis is laid on the importance of close attention to 
the information the book contains, on the part of its readers and 
hearers, "Blessed is he that reads and they that hear the words 
of the prophecy, and keep the things written therein, for the 
time is at hand." The singular "he that reads," and the plural, 
"they that hear," indicate that the author has not so much in 
mind the private student, as one who reads aloud in the con- 
gregation. Here too, the author indicates his own opinion of the 
book. It is a "prophecy," and therefore worthy to be classed 
with the works of the Hebrew prophets and as worthy of the 
attention of the servants of God as they. 



II 



General Introduction i: 4-8. 
Here we have, 

1. The customary form for beginning a letter. 

A. The Apocalypse is from this point on really a letter. 

B. Its author is John who here again mentions himself as 
such. 

C. Its destination is indicated, — the seven churches which 
are in the Roman province of Asia: these are named in i: 11. 

2. The address passes into a benediction. 

A. Grace and peace are invoked on them. 

B. This is from "him who was and is and is to come," which 
can mean only God the Father as distinct from the Son and the 
Spirit since both are mentioned separately in the same sentence, 
This description of God would be acceptable to the ears of both 
Greek and Jewish Christians. 

C. The grace and peace are conveyed also "from the seven 
spirits which are before his throne/' These seven spirits are 
again mentioned in iii: 1, iv: 5, and v: 6, and seem clearly to 
be the Spirit of God, sevenfold because He operates in the seven 
churches, as well as because the author has a fondness for this 
number and because this will add to the apocalyptic coloring of 
the book. 

D. This benediction comes as well from Jesus Christ who 
may be regarded as the source of the revelation by virtue of His 
unity with the Father, and as the communicator of it to His 
people because having received it from God. He is described 
as the "faithful witness," the author no doubt having in mind 
such representations of Him as we find in John iii: 11, 32f, 
viii: I4f, xviii: 37, 1 Tim. vi: 13. He is also the "first-born 
of the dead," i. e., the first person to rise from the dead never to 
die again (vs. 18). Because He has risen from the dead He is 
"the prince of the kings of the earth." Here compare chap, 
xix: 12, 16 and Rom. xiv: 9, Col. i: 18. 

3. The benediction passes into a doxology, which is the first 
of many doxologies in the book. 

A. "To Him who loves us." At the beginning the author 

57 



58 



The Revelation of John 



will assure his readers of Christ's personal affection for them 
(see also iii: 9, 19). 

B. ''And loosed us from our sins by His blood." Here it is 
doubtful whether we should have washed or loosed, as in the 
original there is a difference of only one letter between them 
(XovaavTL, washed; XvaavTi, loosed). Either makes good sense 
and seems to suit well, though probably loosed is on the whole 
preferable as it has the better manuscript authority. 

C. "And made us a kingdom, priests to God and his father." 
Here the manuscripts favor "kingdom" followed by a comma, 
rather than "kings" (cf. vs. 9). Our book is, from one point 
of view, a protest against the Roman Empire especially in its 
attitude toward the Church, and here at the outset we find the 
author placing the Divine Kingdom in sharp contrast to the 
political power. But while the members of the church in their 
corporate capacity are a spiritual kingdom, in their individual 
capacity they are priests unto God, and offer Him worship and 
service. 

D. "To him be the glory and the dominion for ever and 
ever; amen." Here glory (8o£a) and dominion (/cparos) are 
ascribed to Christ. Thus the doxology exalts Christ because of 
the love, redeeming grace, and uplifting power, which He has 
extended to the Church, ascribing to Him glory and dominion, 
all of which it emphasizes by the addition of the word "Amen." 

4. To the doxology is added the declaration of His speedy 
coming doubly emphasized, vs. 7. He is coming, surrounded 
by clouds; all shall see Him, even those who put Him to death, 
(cf. Dan. vii: 13 and Zech. xii: 10) . The Greek indicates 
that by "they (otWes) who pierced him," is meant not so much 
those who shared in the actual crucifixion of Christ as those who 
in all ages are hostile to Him. "All the tribes of the earth shall 
mourn over him" — doubtless the mourning of repentance rather 
than of punishment on themselves as "every eye" and "all the 
tribes" must include many who would welcome Him gladly 
without fear. The declaration of His coming is doubly em- 
phasized, "Even so, amen" (vat, d/jwjv), the former being Greek 
in its origin and the latter Hebrew: the latter also has a re- 
ligious character from its association which the former does 
not possess. 

5. In verse 8 we have a declaration of the Divine nature 



Exposition 



59 



given by Himself. He is; A. "Alpha and Omega." These 
are respectively the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet 
and thus express the infinitude of God, which embraces and 
transcends all, for the first and the last include all between. 
B. The One "who is and who was, and who is to come," i. e., 
the eternal, and, C. "the Almighty," i. e., the omnipotent. 



Ill 



Christ in the Midst of the Churches i: 9— iii: 22. 

We come now to consider the first of the two great visions 
that chiefly make up our book, — Christ in the Midst of the 
Churches i: 9 — iii: 22. This vision naturally falls into two 
parts, A. the narrative, and B. the messages. 

In the first part the following points are to be noted. 

1. Vs. 9-1 1 give us more details regarding the author and 
his circumstances when he received the revelations contained in 
his book. 

A. His name is John as he has already twice (vs. 1 and 4) 
indicated ; but now it is mentioned in the first person instead of 
in the third as before. 

B. He claims to be one of themselves describing himself as 
"your brother" and claiming to share with them in the suffer- 
ing, kingdom, and patience of Jesus. Thus although honored 
with a revelation from Christ and divinely appointed as the 
messenger to convey it to his fellow-Christians he assumes no 
exalted position but considers himself as one of them. 

C. The revelation came to him in the island called Patmos. 
This is a small island shaped roughly like a horse's head and 
neck. It is about 10 miles long north and south and 6 wide at 
the north end. It lies some 40 miles southwest by west from 
Miletus. The island was once populous and prosperous but 
under Turkish rule it has greatly decreased in importance. The 
chief feature of the modern island is the monastery of St. John 
built in 1088 A. D. near the southern end and a cave not far 
from it which is pointed out as the exact spot where John re- 
ceived his revelation. The hills on the island rise to a height 
of about 800 feet and the natural scenery may have had some in- 
fluence in determining the external features of John's visions. 

D. The tense of the verb, "was" {kycvo^qv) apparently in- 
dicates that the visions were committed to writing after John 
had left Patmos and some time after they had come to him but 
while they were still fresh in his memory. 

E. He was there "for the word of God and the testimony of 
Jesus." This may mean that he went there to preach the gospel, 

60 



Exposition 



61 



but the whole tone and purpose of the book is against such a 
view. It is more probable that it means that he was sent there 
as an exile or prisoner because of his preaching; this view is the 
more probable because (i) the same Greek preposition (8ta) is 
used in the same way and certainly in this sense in vi : 9 and xx : 
4; and because (2) the expression "in the tribulation" in vs. 
9 indicates that John had suffered in a common trouble; while 
(3) an almost unanimous tradition going back to the times of 
Tertullian and Clement gives this as the reason why he was 
there. 

F. The vision came when he was "in the spirit," by which 
he may mean an exstatic condition, as a prophet under the spell 
of divine inspiration (cf. Acts xxii: 17, Ezek. iii: 12, 14 and 
xxxvii : 1 ) , or a specially receptive spiritual mood ; the former 
is more in accord with the extraordinary figures of the book but 
less tenable if it is held that the apocalyptic form of the book is 
simply the form the author has chosen to convey the prophetic 
message to his fellow-sufferers. 

G. The revelations came to him "on the Lord's day," (4v tt} 
KvpLdKr) rjixipa) . Several views may be held as to the day actual- 
ly meant here, ( 1 ) Easter, the great day annually observed in 
commemoration of the Resurrection, (2) The seventh day of 
the week, (3) The day of Judgment as in Joel i: 15 and iii: 
14, (4) The first day of the week, the Christian Sabbath; and 
although nowhere else in the New Testament is this phrase used 
to designate that day yet we find the adjective used in exactly 
the same way in 1 Cor. xi : 20 and later in the Didache and early 
in the history of the Church the first day of the week came to be 
called by this name. This is the most reasonable interpreta- 
tion. There is little to commend the third and less to support 
the first and second. 

H. In these circumstances he suddenly hears behind him a 
trumpet-toned voice commanding him to record what he sees 
in a book and send it to the churches in seven cities that are 
named. Thus the seer is charged with the responsibility of con- 
veying the revelation to others as well as of profiting by it him- 
self. ^ 

2. The vision itself is recounted in verses 12-19. John turns 
about to see who speaks to him, and a remarkable sight meets 
his view. Seven golden lamps surround a person, in every way 
extraordinary, whom he describes as "like a son of man." From 



62 



The Revelation of John 



his mouth a sharp sword proceeds and in his right hand he holds 
seven stars. At the sight of him John falls prostrate, but the 
personage lays his right hand on John and bids him not to fear, 
tells him who he is himself, and repeats the command to write 
not only what he sees, as before, but also the things that are, and 
the things that shall come to pass. Many of the words and 
phrases in these verses are closely akin to the Old Testament. 
Regarding the seven golden lamps cf. i Kings vii: 49, Zech. 
iv: 2, also 1 Mace, iv: 49f and 2 Mace, i: 8 and x: 3. Regard- 
ing the form "like a son of man" (also in xiv: 14) cf. Dan. vii: 
yakKoXifiavy, translated "fine brass," is doubtful, as is also its 
13, x: 6, Ezek. i: 7, xliii: 2. The exact meaning of the word 
derivation, but a precious metal, or perhaps mixture of metals, 
bright and flashing, best fills all the requirements and suits the 
context well. The roar of the Aegean sea may have been in 
John's ears when he compared the voice to the sound of many 
waters. As to the sword proceeding from his mouth cf. Ps. 
cxlix: 6, Isa. xi: 4, xlix: 2, and see Eph. vi: 17, Heb. iv: 12. 
The shining countenance recalls the Transfiguration (Matt, 
xvii: 2) ; there is also a parallel in Slav. Enoch i: 5 where wc 
read that "their faces shone as the sun." Regarding his falling 
prostrate see Isa. vi: 5, Ezek. i: 28, Dan. viii: 17 and x: 8£E, 
Luke v: 8. For "I am the first . . . ever," see Isa. xliv: 
6 and xlviii: 12; frequently in both Old and New Testaments 
God is spoken of as "living" especially in Deut. xxxii: 40, Dan. 
xii: 7, John v: 26. Regarding "the keys of death and Hades," 
Ps. ix: 13, cvii: 18, Isa. xxxviii: 10, Job xxxviii: 17, Matt, xvi: 
19. In verse 19 the command of vs. 11 is repeated with some 
additional details. 

3. In vs. 20 we have a partial interpretation of this vision, 
where two of the three objects that need interpretation are ex- 
plained. 

First. The seven lamps are declared to be the seven churches ; 
that is the seven named in vs. 11 as is clear from ii: 5 also, 
each apparently represents a particular church of the seven. 

Second. The seven stars are declared to be the angels of the 
seven churches, doubtless also each representing a particular 
church of the seven. For the significance of "angel" in this 
connection see the general note preceding the discussion of the 
letters to the seven churches. 

Third. Only one interpretation of the Personage of the 



Exposition 



63 



vision is possible. The world has seen but One who could 
truthfully describe Himself as the first and the last, the living 
One who was dead and is alive for ever, and that one is Christ. 
This would be so plain to a Christian of that day that it would 
hardly need to be stated, especially as the resurrection of Christ 
was the great theme in the preaching of the early church. His 
clothing, and especially His golden girdle around His breast, 
suggests priestly and kingly excellence; (Ex. xxviii: 4ff, xxix: 
5). His head and hair are suitable to a person of His rank, 
the intelligence and penetration expressed in His face and eyes 
are especially noticeable, the feet of brass indicate strength and 
stability, while even His voice and words are powerful like the 
waters and penetrating like the sword. As the short Roman 
sword was tongue-like in shape the figure of the sword pro- 
ceeding from His mouth is not so strange as would at first 
appear; it may be taken with the rest of the description of Him 
as indicating, in this passage, a great contrast to, and superiority 
over the Roman power, having authority not only over life and 
death, but over the realm beyond as well. 

Thus we have a vision of Christ in the midst of the churches. 
Why then should they fear. The One to whom they look is 
among them and He is supreme and one with God. No evil 
results of the past, no terrors of the present, no forebodings of 
the future need alarm those who took Him for their King and 
Lord. His power and authority are superior to those of Rome, 
even to those of death itself. He speaks to them through John 
bidding them not to be afraid even as in the days of His flesh 
He had done, and as He speaks it is with the sympathy of one 
who has experienced trials and hardships even greater than 
theirs, for He was dead. Thus there is in the vision an indica- 
tion of the power, majesty, and sympathy of Jesus who is now 
glorified. 



IV 



The Messages to the Seven Churches. 

Before proceeding to discuss in detail the letters to the seven 
churches some general questions regarding them, must be con- 
sidered. 

i. The Churches themselves. In i: n we have the note- 
worthy words "What you see write in a book and send to the 
seven churches, unto Ephesus, etc. ,, The expression "the seven 
churches," seems plainly to indicate that in John's mind the 
churches in the cities mentioned formed a well-known and 
clearly defined group which included these and no others. How 
did this come to be so? It cannot be that only these seven 
churches existed there. A decade, or even more before the 
earliest date that has been suggested for the Apocalypse there 
were churches in Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis (Col. iv: 
13, 16), and Troas (2 Cor. ii: 12, Acts xx: 6ff). Even earlier 
than that, the Gospel had spread so rapidly that it could be 
said that "all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word" (Acts 
xix: 10). Further, in the time of Ignatius (about 100 A. D.) 
there were churches at Magnesia and Tralleis. Probably many 
other places also had churches, e. g. Cyzicus, an important city 
in the north. Thus we see that there must have been many 
more than these seven churches in the province. How is it 
that these seven only are mentioned, and mentioned in a way 
that indicates that they formed a recognized group? It could 
not have been that these were the most important cities of the 
province as Thyatira and Philadelphia were insignificant in 
comparison with some like Cyzicus, Alabanda and Apameia, 
which are not mentioned at all. Professor Sir Wm. Ramsay, 
probably the most eminent living authority on early Chris- 
tianity in Asia Minor, believes there were several reasons: 

First, each of the seven came to be recognized as the centre 
and representative church in a group, and he points to Col. 
iv: 13 and 16 as indicating such a group so closely related that 
a letter addressed to one could be used with advantage by the 
others. Thus, Dr. Ramsay believes, seven groups arose of 
wiiich the seven churches mentioned were severally the leaders 
and representatives. 

64 



Exposition 



6 5 



Second, he points out that these seven were so situated that a 
messenger could visit them all by pursuing the great roads of 
the province and make a convenient circuit. A messenger from 
Patmos would land at Ephesus from which he would journey 
northward to Smyrna and thence to Pergamum along the great 
road that traversed the country as far as Cyzicus on the Pro- 
pontis. From Pergamum he would turn eastward along a 
second great road that led into the interior of the country, and 
following it in a southeasterly direction he would call at Thy- 
atira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. From Ephesus another 
great road led eastward along the valley of the Meander and 
Lycus rivers to the distant parts of Phrygia, by which, journey- 
ing westward from Laodicea the messenger would reach Ephe- 
sus. Here the order in which the cities are mentioned indicates 
the order in which the messenger would reach them and the 
route he would follow. As the messenger reached each of the 
seven cities he would leave a copy of the book, where provision 
would be made for circulating it among the churches in the 
vicinity. 

Third, these churches were representative in two ways. Each 
stood as the centre of a group of churches; and each had its 
peculiar features and exhibited in a marked degree some 
feature of all the churches of Asia Minor. Thus the epistles 
to the seven churches all apply to all the churches of the whole 
country but each letter has an especial value for the church 
to which it is addressed. The messenger on his circular journey 
would pass through Hierapolis, Tralleis, and Magnesia, at all 
of which it is altogether probable there were churches, and these 
cities were certainly more wealthy than Philadelphia and Thy- 
atira. But the churches in these would be served by messengers 
of secondary circuits having the seven cities mentioned in i: 
4, 11 as their centres. Thus Dr. Ramsay thinks these seven 
churches became representative of the whole church in the 
province, and he further believes that the church in Asia is 
representative of the Church in the world. Certainly the words 
"to show to his servants" in i: 1 and xxii: 6, "he that reads and 
they that hear . . . and keep" in i: 3, "what the spirit 
says to the churches" in ii: 7, 11, 17, 29, iii: 6, 13, 22, "he who 
keeps" in xxii: 7, "those who keep the words" in xxii: 9, "each 
one" in xxii: 12, "they that wash their robes" in xxii: 14, "for 



66 



The Revelation of John 



the churches" in xxii: 16, the remarkably broad invitation of 
xxii: 17, "every one" "any one" in xxii: 18, 19, are sufficiently 
inclusive to take in all the people of all the churches of Asia 
and the world. 

Fourth, this explanation by Dr. Ramsay is by far the most 
reasonable that has ever been given on this point, and when we 
add to it the fact that the book before us is an apocalypse and 
that the writer manifestly desires to suggest both mystery and 
completeness by the language, we have what appears to be suffi- 
cient reason for the choice of these particular seven churches. 

2. The Letters to the Seven Churches. While the Apo- 
calypse as a whole from i: 4 onwards is in the form of a letter 
yet we find the epistolary form specially used in chapters ii and 
iii where we have the letters to the seven churches, written, as 
John tells us in i : 4, 5, 1 1, at the express command of Christ 
who is now risen and glorified. The letters are in some ways 
very much alike, and in others quite different. 

The letters are all built on the same plan. Each one begins 
with the expression "To the angel of the church in . 
write; These things says ..." followed by a partial de- 
scription of the glorified Christ as pictured in the first chapter, 
so that all the partial descriptions at the beginnings of the let- 
ters make up with some additions (especially in the last two 
letters) the complete description of Him previously given. The 
letters are all very short ; each one deals with the condition and 
circumstances of the particular church to which it is addressed, 
and all close in the same way with a promise to the overcomer 
and an appeal for attention. They are all written from a single 
inspirational impulse, and although each is addressed to its 
particular church and written as much for it as if the others did 
not exist, it is evident from the direction given to John that all 
the letters will go to all the churches, — "What you see write 
in a book and send to the seven churches," — -one book con- 
taining all seven letters, to be sent to all seven churches and this 
is confirmed by the plural, "churches" in the concluding appeal 
in each letter. 

But into this common framework, so skilfully and beautifully 
fashioned, John is able to put an individual message to each 
church pre-eminently suited to its own particular case. Each 
letter shows a very close knowledge on the part of its author 



Exposition 



6 7 



of the church to which it is written, and of the historical, geo- 
graphical, political, and religious circumstances of the city to 
which it belongs, and a remarkable facility in using this informa- 
tion for the spiritual instruction of the church to which he 
writes. This will be brought out more clearly as we study the 
letters separately. Probably it is only the poverty of our 
knowledge of these seven cities that prevents us from seeing even 
more references to their individual circumstances than we have 
been able so far to discover. It is chiefly to the painstaking 
efforts of Sir Wm. Ramsay that interpreters of these chapters 
are indebted for such knowledge of the seven cities as we pos- 
sess and his splendid volume "The Letters to the Seven 
Churches" will bring him the lasting gratitude of all students 
of this portion of the Apocalypse. 

3. The Angels of the Churches. What are we to under- 
stand by these? The word ayyeXoi might be translated "mes- 
sengers" equally as well as "angels;" (see Matt, xi: 10, Luke 
vii: 24, Luke ix: 52, Jas. ii: 25, where the same word is used 
and certainly means human messengers). If this is the sense 
here the "angels" would be messengers, possibly elders or bishops 
of the Asian churches perhaps sent to John in Patmos. But this 
is hardly allowable here as, A. no human ruler or messenger 
could be so closely identified with a congregation as to merit 
praise and blame for its condition to the extent of these angels 
of the seven churches, and B., as Dr. H. B. Swete points out, 
this is foreign to the use of the word elsewhere in our book 
where it occurs more than sixty times exclusive of the times it 
is followed by the phrase "of the church" (rfjs cKKXrjmas) or 
"of the churches," (tw IkkXtjo-lmv) , and always means a super- 
human being employed in the service of God or Satan. 

Professor Ramsay thinks "the angel of the church" seems to 
embody and gather together in a personification the powers, the 
character, the history and life and unity of the church. The 
angel represents the Divine presence and the Divine power in 
the church ; he is the Divine guarantee of the vitality and effec- 
tiveness of the church. When it is asked how the angel can be 
so closely identified with the church as to be blamed for its 
defects Dr. Ramsay answers, first, that John here inevitably 
fails to carry out fully the symbolism, and second, that it is 
"vain to attempt to give a rigidly accurate definition of the 



68 



The Revelation of John 



meaning which is attached to the term 'angel' in these chapters. 
All that concerns the angels is vague, impalpable, elusive, defy- 
ing analysis and scientific precision. You cannot tell where in 
the Seven Letters taken one by one, the idea 'angel' drops and 
the idea 'Church' takes its place." (Letters to the Seven 
Churches, ch. vi). 

For the purposes of practical interpretation we may regard 
the angel of the church as simply an expression for the prevail- 
ing spirit of the church, or a personification of the church, and 
thus consider it as the church itself. 



V 



The Letter to the Church in Ephesus, ii: 1-7. 

Ephesus in the first century A. D. was one of the three most 
important cities of the eastern Mediterranean region, (the 
other* two being Antioch in Syria and Alexandria in Egypt). 
It was situated on the sea coast at the mouth of the river Cayster 
and would be the first of the seven cities to be reached by the 
messenger from Patmos. Its position commercially was one of 
great importance as the great trade route from the east ter- 
minated there. Also its political importance was great as the 
governors of the province landed there on their arrival. It was 
a "libera urbs" (free city) with its own fSovkr) (Council), 
yepovala (Senate), and iKKXrjala (Assembly), the head of a 
Conventus (assize town), and a seat of proconsular government 
(Acts xix: 38). Religiously it was a city of great importance. 
Its chief deity was the goddess Diana, (or Artemis), whose 
temple was unequalled in Asia for size and magnificence, and 
to which people from all parts of Asia Minor came to worship, 
bringing much trade and money to the city as many articles 
used in the worship of Diana were made there and sold to them. 
Nor was the Imperial religion neglected. A shrine and a great 
altar of Augustus were placed in the temple of Diana in the 
earlier years of his reign, and later provincial temples of the 
Imperial religion were built, one under Claudius or Nero, a 
second under Hadrian, and a third under Severus. The city 
was proud of the honor as the u Warden" (vewKopos) of the 
temples of Diana and of these three emperors and sometimes 
even styled itself, "four times temple-warden. " In Ephesus art, 
philosophy, literature, and the theatre flourished. But accord- 
ing to Dr. Ramsay the most outstanding characteristic of the 
city was its continual change, as he says it experienced more 
vicissitudes than any other city of Asia. Its harbor was steadily 
filling up with the silt brought down by the river so that the city 
seemed to be steadily moving inland, and thus even its natural 
surroundings were in a state of transition. Its site was several 
times changed and its political fortunes were much varied in 
the passage of time. So much has it declined since the time of 
Paul and John that it is now insignificant. 

69 



7o 



The Revelation of John 



The Apostle Paul visited Ephesus on his second missionary 
journey but his visit was of very short duration, (Acts xviii: 
igf). Some time afterward, on the third missionary journey, 
he again visited the city and remained two years or more there 
(Acts xix: iff) and so rapidly did the gospel spread that "all 
those dwelling in Asia heard the word of God." His. work 
there seems to have been carried on by Timothy after his de- 
parture (i Tim. i: 3). After Paul's death and Timothy's 
departure the tradition of the second century declares that St, 
John continued the work there. 

1. The introduction to the letter is one which we readily 
notice to be specially suitable to the Ephesian church. 

A. The letter to it is placed first as the messenger from 
Patmos would reach it first and because it was on the whole 
the most important city of the province. 

B. The Author is the one "who holds the seven stars in his 
right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamps." 
This is specially suitable. It recognizes that as Ephesus is the 
chief city it stands in a way for all the cities and the province 
and thus the church there is addressed by Christ as He stands 
in His relation to all the churches. If Ephesus is superior to, 
and in a sense representative of all the cities of Asia, Christ is 
superior to and over all the churches of Asia likewise, which 
are as inferior to Him and as much subject to His power and 
authority as the lamps and stars are to Him in the vision. 

2. Christ recognizes in the church at Ephesus much that is 
good and praiseworthy, (vs. 2, 3, 6). He knew their work 
and labor and patience. No faithful effort on their part, for 
the Master's sake, no 5 hardship uncomplainingly endured, no 
time of waiting cheerfully borne, escaped His watchful eye. 
Their patient endurance and strenuous toil for Him are so very 
plain to the One who moves in the midst of the seven golden 
lamps that it is emphasized by the third verse, which is little 
more than a repetition of what has been said in the former half 
of the second. He also took note of and appreciated their ab- 
horrence of evil, and their care in testing those who came to 
them pretending to be apostles when they were really not so. 
The young churches were continually visited by those who 
claimed to be apostles and prophets of Christ, and they needed 
to be always on their guard against the intrusion of false teach- 
ers and false doctrine, and especially as there was yet no es- 



Exposition 



71 



tablished standard of Christian faith and practice. In the 
epistle of Ignatius written to this church a few years later we 
have strong testimony to their intolerance of evil, their faith- 
fulness in avoiding it, and their high Christian grace. Their 
hatred of evil was especially exercised toward the works of the 
Nicolaitanes. Of this sect we know very little. As their doc- 
trines are associated in vs. 14 and 15 with those of "Balaam, 
who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children 
of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit forni- 
cation," we may conclude that they were an antinomian sect 
who abused the doctrine of Gentile liberty from the Mosaic 
Law taught by St. Paul. That such a sect really existed is 
clearly established by many references to them in later writings. 
Irenaeus (Adv. Haer. i: 26) says they lived "lives of unre- 
strained indulgence," teaching that adultery and eating things 
sacrificed to idols are matters of indifference. Clement of Alex- 
andria, Tertullian, and Ignatius refer to them in language of 
the same sort, showing that they sanctioned moral impurity. 
In matters of doctrine they seem to have maintained well known 
Gnostic errors according to the writings of Irenaeus, Tertullian, 
and Hippolytus. This sect is mentioned in the letter to the 
church in Pergamum (ii: 15) and perhaps also in the letter 
to the church in Thyatira (ii: aoff). This would suggest that 
its doctrine was widely prevalent and dangerous to the faith. 

3. Their estate, however is not one that merits unmixed 
praise, for their pristine love for Christ has cooled (vs. 4). If 
the loyalty and activity of the church have been well maintained 
there has been a falling off in the greatest of Christian gifts. 
The inner fire had burned low, and their intense enthusiasm in 
the days of Paul had vanished (see Acts xix: 20, xx: 37). 

4. A call to repentance is given them in vs. 5. Their first 
duty is to remember from whence they have fallen, and recall 
to their minds in a clear way their former and much better con- 
dition. When this is done they must "repent" — adopt a com- 
plete change of attitude, and begin over again, — "do the first 
works," though they are not told to love with the same love. 
A complete series of three stages is put before them, remember, 
repent, do. 

5. A warning is given them that they will lose their place 
as a church if they fail to repent. Ephesus was a city of change, 



72 



The Revelation of John 



and in spite of its present greatness as a city its actual location 
had several times been altered. Natural conditions also were 
changing there. The river was slowly but steadily filling the 
harbor so that soon the city became almost an inland town, and 
its proud position waned. Christ would not tolerate indefinitely 
a . church that was steadily losing its devotion to Him. 

6. This warning is strengthened by a ringing appeal for close 
and attentive consideration extended in exactly the same words 
to each one of the seven churches, "He who has an ear let him 
hear what the Spirit says to the churches." 

7. The letter closes with a promise to the overcomer, — "to 
eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." While 
all the seven letters have promises to the overcomer, no two are 
the same. Trees had been worshipped from time immemorial 
as the home of the divine nature and power, and the figure was 
familiar both to Jew and Greek. On some sacred tree the 
safety of a family or tribe or city was often thought to depend. 
The people of Athens knew that the safety of their state was 
assured when the sacred olive tree on the Acropolis put forth 
a new shoot after the city had been burned by the Persians. In 
the holy tree the divine life was thought to come close to man 
and he who could eat of the fruit of the tree of life was re- 
ceiving the strength of God's nature and power. As Diana 
the Ephesian goddess was looked upon as the fruitful mother 
of all vegetable, animal, and human life as well as the source 
of their reproductive power, the personification of the principle 
of vitality, the appropriateness of this promise to the overcomer 
is evident. Gen. iii : 22-24 may also be in the mind of the seer. 



VI 



The Letter to the Church in Smyrna, ii: 8-n. 

Going northward from Ephesus along the great road for a 
distance of about 35 miles the messenger from Patmos would 
reach Smyrna. This was a city of great beauty and this feature, 
with the eminence of the city in other ways, led to its calling 
itself to ttJs 'Aotas ayaA/xa (the Pride of Asia). Its beauty con- 
sisted in its natural surroundings, its fine paved streets, the 
squares in which the city was laid out, and a fine hill at the 
extreme end of its principal street, rising to some 460 feet in 
height called "Pagos" and crowned with castles and towers. 
This hill with its castle, battlements, and towers made a splen- 
did acropolis for the city and was often referred to as its 
"Crown." Commercially the city was almost the equal of Ephe- 
sus. Not only had it the trade of the rich Hermus valley but 
it was the terminus of a great road which led far inland, while 
its situation at the head of a long gulf or inlet gave it prom- 
inence as a shipping town. It had two harbors, the inner and 
smaller of which is now filled up and has become the scene of its 
bazaars. 

Politically from the distant past Smyrna was loyal to Rome 
and in this loyalty her citizens found much pride. In 195 
B. C. Smyrna built a temple and instituted a worship of Rome. 
A century later when a Roman army was suffering great distress 
in the war against Mithradates the citizens of Smyrna stripped 
off their own clothes to send to the shivering troops. In A. D. 
23 permission was given to the Commune of Asia to erect a 
temple to Tiberias and his mother Julia Augustus, and three 
years later Smyrna was chosen as its location over all other cities 
in the province because of the faithfulness and loyalty of the 
city to her powerful ally. Thus the city secured the much 
prized honor of being Temple-warden. 

Smyrna above all else was a city of enduring and abounding 
life. With a history going back to the remote past, a continuity 
and a freedom from vicissitude secured chiefly by its relation- 
ship to the Imperial power, it retained through the centuries 
a remarkable vigor. The city has suffered much from earth- 
quakes, but after each has arisen more beautiful than before. 

73 



74 



The Revelation of John 



It is the only ancient city of Asia Minor that continues to this 
day a place of importance. Its present population is given at 
approximately 250,000 of which according to Dr. Ramsay, 
three quarters are said to be Christians, a fact which no doubt 
accounts for its continuous prosperity, and the name 1 'Infidel 
Smyrna" given it by the Turks. 

Of the founding of the church in Smyrna we know nothing 
oeyond the vague allusion of Acts xix: 10, but as we learn from 
the letter before us, it had an honorable history. The church 
has continued strong there ever since. There Polycarp, the 
disciple of St. John, suffered martyrdom about 155 A. D. In 
the middle ages Smyrna was the last city of Asia Minor to fall 
under the sway of the Turks. 

I. Introduction. "These things says the first and the last, 
who was dead and lived." Here again we find the letter be- 
ginning with a description of Christ. Here was a city whose 
people prided themselves on its antiquity. They thought, nc 
doubt, that its origins were lost in the distant past and to their, 
probably its destruction seemed unthinkable. But this lettei 
begins by holding up to the Christians in that city One who 
can claim greater antiquity and longer life. However old 
Smyrna was, it certainly was not the First and however long 
it lasts it certainly will not be the Last. This is what Christ 
claimed to be. The striking analogy to their city is further 
carried out in the following clause, "was dead and lived." 
Strabo tells us how, in the early years of the history of the city, 
Smyrna was destroyed by the Lydians and for four hundred 
years there was no "city" but merely a group of scattered vil- 
lages. The city thus as a Greek city died, but continued to live 
on as a village state,, then was refounded and once more became 
a Greek city. How suitable that the struggling Christians 
there should be reminded of the One who lived on in spite of 
death. In several striking ways the church in Smyrna con- 
tradicted outward appearances. It seemed poor, and no doubt 
was poor in all outward circumstances but because of its fidelity 
to Christ was really rich in the realities of life. It was suffering 
tribulation outwardly, but really was triumphant and earning 
the crown of life. Its enemies were mere pretenders, claiming 
to be the people of God but really the synagogue of Satan; it 
was real. 



Exposition 



75 



2. Knowledge. Christ assures them that their condition has 
not escaped Him. 

A. He knows their tribulation. The Christians there had 
much suffering to bear although there is no indication that » 
organized persecution had as yet broken out. 

B. Their poverty was very noticeable in a great city where 
wealth abounded, especially as they were poor because of their 
fidelity to Christ and thus they were rich in another sense. 

C. They had also to contend with some who pretended to 
be Jews but in the truest sense were really not so. We may 
get a slight hint as to the real character of these Jews from their 
conduct at the martyrdom of Polycarp. Although his trial and 
death took place on the Jewish Sabbath and in the Stadium 
many Jews assisted in his execution by carrying and arranging 
the wood for the fire by which he was burned, even surpassing 
the heathen in their zeal to be rid of him. Truly such were 
not true Jews but might fairly be described as blasphemers and 
of the synagogue of Satan. 

3. Exhortation. 

A. "Fear not . . . ten days." There are worse things 
coming than poverty. More "tribulation" is in store for them 
and some of them will be called upon to endure imprisonment as 
a test. This will be for a fairly short definite period, described 
as "ten days." 

B. They are urged to be faithful unto death. As Smyrna 
had been characterized by unswerving faithfulness to Rome 
so should they be to Christ. 

C. The general appeal found in all the other six letters is 
also here, "He who has an ear, etc." 

4. The reward of fidelity is two fold. 

A. The crown of life. This may refer to the hill with its 
splendid buildings on top, often spoken of as the "Crown" of 
the city, or it might refer to the wreath of flowers or laurel 
leaves given to the winner in the games which were frequently 
held there. Whichever the author has in mind it is eminently 
suitable. 

B. But it is a better crown than buildings made by hands or 
leaves that will soon fade, it is a crown of life, which even the 
second death cannot destroy. The second death is again men- 
tioned in xx : 6, 14 and xxi: 8 where it is described as a lake 
of fire and brimstone. The nature of the reward promised is 



7 6 



The Revelation of John 



clear. The one who is unfalteringly faithful to Christ shall 
receive a reward from Christ far more excellent than anything 
earth can give. 

5. This letter to the church in Smyrna presents a marked 
contrast to the letter to the church in Ephesus. The church in 
Ephesus is exhorted to return to a former and more acceptable 
frame of spirit while the one in Smyrna is urged to continue in 
its present state. Complaint is made against the church in 
Ephesus because it has left its first love, while no fault at all is 
found with the church in Smyrna. The church in Ephesus 
appeared to be alive and rich but really was dying and poor; 
the church in Smyrna was apparently dying and poor but really 
was living and rich. And lastly there is here the note of affec- 
tion and entire approval while in the letter to the church at 
Ephesus there is a clear note of disapproval, and little or no 
indication of affection. 



VII 



The Letter to the Church in Pergamum, ii: 12-17. 

Following the great road northward from Smyrna for some 
55 miles the apocalyptic messenger would reach the third of the 
seven cities, Pergamos or Pergamum, situated on a large rocky 
hill, fitly located to dominate the whole valley and large plain 
of the river Caicus, and presenting the impression of permanence 
and authority. 

For about four centuries preceding the time of this letter 
it had been the capital of a considerable territory, and when the 
seven letters were written this state of affairs still existed. In 
the latter half of the first Christian century it was the official 
Roman capital of the province though it was losing that honor 
as Ephesus was slowly coming to be recognized in popular 
opinion as the capital. 

Religiously Pergamum was important. Four leading deities 
were worshipped, Zeus Soter, Athena Nikephoros, Dionysos 
Kathegemon, and Asklepios Soter; the two former were Hel- 
lenic and thus foreign, but they were glorified by the greatest 
efforts of Art in Pergamum ; the two latter were Anatolian and 
so native to the soil of Asia. Zeus Soter (Jupiter Saviour) 
was king and father of the gods and men and supreme over all 
nature; he had a great altar on the slope of the hill. Athena 
Nikephoros (Minerva Bearer of Victory) had a magnificent 
temple almost crowning the acropolis. Dionysos Kathegemon 
(Dionysos the Leader) was the god of the royal family and the 
kings claimed to be his descendants and embodiments on earth. 
His worship was carried on in Imperial times by a religious 
society called Boukoloi (Ox-herds). The god was apparently 
of the animal type, probably a bull. The most important deity 
in Pergamum was however- Asklepios Soter (Aesculapius Sav- 
iour). He was also of the animal type, being associated more 
particularly with the serpent. Asklepios was associated with the 
healing art, and a school of medicine was connected with his 
temple, attracting many sufferers from all quarters. The city 
was particularly devoted to the Imperial religion and the 
worship of the emperors and as early as B. C. 29 had a temple 
dedicated to Augustus, thus being the first of the Asian cities 

77 



78 



The Revelation of John 



to attain to the high honor of Temple Warden of which the city 
was very proud. The local priest of Jupiter proudly considered 
himself priest of the Divine Augustus as well. 

Because of its situation and its religious and political position 
Pergamum stands out conspicuously as the city of authority, 
the royal city. In trade it was far inferior to Ephesus and 
Smyrna though surrounded by a rich valley. It did however 
become famous for a particular kind of leather adapted to pur- 
poses of writing called "parchment' to which it gave its name, 
(Pergamena) . 

The letter to the church in Pergamum is one of very great 
interest as none of the seven letters shows more careful adapta- 
tion to the circumstances of the city in which the church to 
which it is addressed is located. 

1. Introduction, "These things . . . sword." Here we 
find Christ using the words of one who wears the badge of 
absolute authority when He addresses the church located in the 
seat of authority, — Pergamum. The sword ( ' po^aiav) here 
mentioned is not the oriental scimitar or the ordinary cutting 
sword employed by many nations, especially the Greeks, but a 
two-edged, sharp-pointed weapon used by the Romans. The 
weapon, a s also the name here given it, were originally of 
Thracian origin and therefore "barbarian" either from the 
point of view of Jew or Greek, to both of whom the Romans 
were a barbarian race. In Roman estimation the sword was the 
symbol of highest official authority possessed by the proconsul 
of the province, and included the power of life and death. As 
in the case of the other letters the description of Christ here is 
part of the complete description given in the first chapter. Thus 
the attention of the church in Pergamum is directed to One who 
holds authority far superior to that of any temporal power. 

2. Recognition. "I know . . . dwells." As in the 
case of the other churches no merit or shortcoming escaped the 
eye of Christ. 

A. Their dwelling place. This is described as the place of 
Satan's throne, and this was the chief element in determining 
their condition. By "Satan" must here be meant the official 
Imperial power that stood in opposition to the Church. Per- 
gamum as the official capital of the province and by nature and 
history marked out as the royal city, was also the provincial seat 

■ 



Exposition 



79 



of the Imperial religion. This religion was most obnoxious to 
the Christians because it deified the emperors who were mere 
human beings and worshipped them as divine, though in some 
cases at least (e. g. Nero) they were notoriously wicked; also 
because the Imperial power was forcing them to adopt it. 

B. Their fidelity was most commendable. They had stoutly 
refused to revile their Master by calling Caesar Lord and had 
remained true to Christ even though to do so meant a severe 
trial for them, Antipas, a faithful Christian had been put to 
death there. This is the first indication in the seven letters of a 
state persecution so severe that Christians were called upon to 
surrender either their lives or their devotion to Christ. Of 
Antipas we know no more than what is here told us. But 
we must not conclude either that he was the only martyr among 
the Pergamenian or Asian Christians; the woman drunk with 
the blood of the saints mentioned subsequently indicates other- 
wise ; nor are we to assume that he really belonged to Per- 
gamum, as prisoners from other parts of the province were 
frequently brought to the provincial capital for trial and execu- 
tion. 

3. Complaint. But the faithfulness of the church as a whole 
was marred. There were in it two parties, whose teachings 
were not according to the will of Christ. First. They had 
among them some who held the teaching of Balaam who is here 
described as having taught Balak to cast a stumbling block 
before the Israelites so that they ate things oifered to idols and 
were guilty of fornication. The earliest narrative of Balaam 
and Balak in Numbers xxii: 1 — xxiv: 25 contains no indica- 
tion that Balaam was guilty of this offence. But a later refer- 
ence to Balaam in Numbers xxxi: 16 makes him responsible 
for the idolatry and fornication of the Israelites in the matter 
of Baal-peor recorded in Numbers xxv. It is clear that there 
were some in the Pergamenian church who supported these 
practices. Second. They had among them some who held the 
teaching of the Nicolaitanes which He hated (see ii: 6 and 
comment on it above). 

4. Appeal. 

A. They are called upon to repent. 

B. If the church fails to repent Christ will fight against the 
Nicolaitanes (fier avr&v) with the sword of His mouth. In 
this book Christ is sometimes pictured as a conqueror or warrior 



8o 



The Revelation of John 



(xlx: i iff). We may conclude that the church as a whole had 
tolerated the Nicolaitanes and that some of her people had 
listened to their teaching but that the church as a whole had not 
identified herself with them as it is clearly against them and not 
against the church that Christ threatens to fight. 

C. Then there is the appeal contained in all the letters, "He 
who has an ear . . . churches/' 

5. Promise to the overcomer. "To him who overcomes 
. . . receives it." 

A. The one who overcomes is promised the hidden manna. 
Probably the writer has in mind the manna given in the wilder- 
ness to the Israelites, a sample of which was preserved in a 
golden pot in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies 
(Ex. xvi: 32, Heb. ix: 4), but the meaning is that in a spiritual, 
and so hidden, way Christ will provide the real nourishment for 
His followers. Indeed in the days of His flesh He declared that 
He was the bread of life, (John vi: 48). There was therefore 
no need of eating things offered to idols as Christ was prepared 
to give them something far better. 

B. The overcomer was also promised a white stone inscribed 
with a mysterious name which only the recipient would under- 
stand. The exact significance of the white stone is uncertain. 
The word itself (\j/rj<j>os) means a small stone or pebble, such 
as was often used for voting. Many suggestions have been 
offered of which a few are: The Jewish rabbis thought that 
precious stones fell with the manna; Ziilig followed by Trench 
saw in it an allusion to the Urim (Ex. xxviii: 30) which was 
thought to have been a diamond engraved with the Tetragram- 
maton; others again see in it a reference to voting in the courts 
of justice, black pebbles being used to condemn and white to 
acquit the accused ; the man on his acquittal was spoken of as 
viKrjvas (i. e., having overcome) while the xj/rjcfros acquitting him 
was called vLKrjTrjpLos (belonging to an overcomer) ; still others 
think there is a reference to the use of counters in reckoning 
(xiii: 18 xj/rjcjucrTdTw rov apiOiwv let him count the number), or 
to the tickets which were sometimes distributed entitling those 
who held them to free entertainments, or to engraved stones 
used in magic or secret religious rites. None of these seems 
entirely satisfactory though perhaps the reference to magic or 
to the court of justice is on the whole the most satisfactory. The 
allusion in the expression "a new name" on the stone is equally 



Exposition 



81 



uncertain and difficult but it is altogether probable that it was 
suggested by magic rites and popular religious superstitions. 
Much emphasis was often laid on a name, which in popular 
belief was closely connected with the nature both of a person 
and of a god, guaranteeing, and even giving existence, reality, 
and life. Sometimes the true name of a god was kept secret 
lest strangers and enemies should gain influence over him. A 
new name indicated an entrance on a new life. The person 
who was admitted into the mysteries and received the new name 
not merely entered upon a new life whose abundance had been 
opened to him, but he learned the names of the god which would 
open the way for him and enable him to overcome hostile spirits. 
To know the name of a demon or god was thus to gain the 
secret of his influence and power. This reference to religious 
rites, (if such it were), was specially adapted to the church in 
Pergamum. In B. C. 27 the emperor had been given the new 
name or title of Augustus (Venerable) by the Roman Senate. 
This was an old sacred word used only by the priests and never 
before applied to any human being. But the emperor was 
beginning to be looked upon by the public generally as a god 
in human form. The Christians in Pergamum, "where the 
throne of Satan is," would recognize in this new name an in- 
dication that when they had triumphed their position would 
be like that of Augustus only higher, each having as his own 
secret inviolable possession the Name of God, which would set 
them over the world, triumphing over the Emperor and defeat- 
ing him by the very tribulation, suffering, and death, which he 
inflicted upon them. Whatever may have been the particular 
reference in these words we may be sure that it was clear to the 
Christians in Pergamum. For us too the general sense at least 
is fairly clear. The white stone with the mysterious new name 
is the pledge and token of the Divine favor and intimate knowl- 
edge of Christ and God as only the one who receives it can 
adequately comprehend. We should note also that the word 
here used is not veos, meaning, new, with respect to time or age, 
but Kaii/os, meaning, new, in respect to quality, i. e., fresh and 
thus the suggestion is that of the eternal freshness of youth 
which the gospel inspires. 



VIII I 

The Letter to the Church in Thyatira, ii: 18-29. 

Thyatira was situated on slightly rising ground in the centre I 
of a long depression connecting the Caicus and Hermus valleys. 
It was on an important road leading from Pergamum to Sardis j 
and Laodicea some 40 miles from Pergamum. Although from j 
early times there had been a settlement and heathen temple ! 
there, it was not until about 300 B. C. that it was founded as a 1 
Greek city. Its chief function was military though there was 
little to give it the appearance of an important stronghold. It ; 
lay in an open valley by gently sloping hills and had no proper 
acropolis. The general impression which it gives is one of 1 
weakness from a military point of view, and no one would think 
of it as fitted to be a capital city ruling an empire. But its situ- is 
ation made it important as a garrison. Situated on an im- 
portant road leading to the political capital Pergamum, it was 
necessary that it should be made a strong military post. Every 
invader must capture it before he could proceed, but as soon as 
he had secured it he must refortify it for his own protection. 

Commercially Thyatira was of small importance beside 
Smyrna or Ephesus. It had a considerable local trade however. ( 
The very conditions that made it feeble and therefore un- 
fortunate in war, favored its prosperity in times of peace. In j 
the long peace of the Roman Empire it steadily increased in size 
and wealth. While retaining the memory of its ancient days 
it ceased to be a military city. And this long period of peaceful 
progress was only well begun when the letter before us was , 
penned. In the days of its prosperity it possessed more trade- 
guilds than any other Asian city, so far as known. On the 
inscriptions we find wool-workers, linen workers, makers of 
outer garments, dyers, leather-workers, tanners, potters, bakers, 
slave-dealers, and bronze smiths, are all mentioned. These 
trade guilds probably formed the most outstanding feature in 
Thyatiran life when the letter before us was written. The 
woman of Thyatira who was so hospitable to Paul and his t 
company (Acts xvi: 14, 15) may have been a member of one 
of these guilds who had gone to Philippi to push the sale of her 
goods. Religiously Thyatira was far inferior to Pergamum, 

82 



Exposition 



83 



Smyrna, and Ephesus. It never attained to the honor of a 
temple-wardenship, but it had a deity of which it boasted. This 
go4 was called by the elaborate name of Helios Pythios Tyrim- 
naios Apollon ("HAtos Uv8ios T-upi/xvaios y AttoXX^v) . He was 
probably an ancient Lydian sun-god identified with the Greek 
Apollo. He was patron of the city, (and so named TLpoiraTup, 
i. e., Patron of the city and ancestor of its people), in front of 
which he had a temple or shrine, (and so called 7rpo7roAis i. e., 
before the city). He seems to have been closely related to a 
warrior-god represented on coins and pictured as going forth on 
horseback with a battle-axe over his shoulder to conquer and 
destroy his enemies. The many names and titles present a 
strange mixture of Greek and barbarian religious sentiment, and 
in Thyatira he was doubtless the embodiment of the military 
spirit of the city. Games were held in honor of this deity. 
Under the Roman empire his worship was united with the cult 
of the emperors. The Greek goddess Artemis (or Diana) was 
also worshipped in Thyatira and her priestess was the wife of 
the priest of Apollo. Lastly, outside the city there was a shrine 
of the oriental sibyl Sambathe. 

The scantiness of our knowledge of this city, especially as it 
was in the latter half of the first Christian century makes it 
difficult to understand this letter before us. Probably if our 
knowledge were sufficient we would find it one of the most 
instructive of the seven letters. 

1. Introduction. "These things says the Son of God . . . 
brass." 

A. Here for the first and only time in the Apocalypse Christ 
is referred to as the Son of God. But in several passages the 
same fact is indicated in other words, i: 6, ii: 27, iii: 5, 21, 
xiv: 1. 

B. The penetrating power of His vision, His righteous in- 
dignation, and the keenness of His intellect are indicated in the 
eyes that appear as flames of fire. 

C. The feet of shining brass taken with the other two 
phrases of this introduction suggest that He has an excellence 
far greater than that achieved by any skilled worker in Thy- 
atira, and that He has strength and power to stamp out the 
enemies of the truth. 

D. The majesty and exaltation of Christ described in these 
words is far greater than that indicated in the introduction to 



8 4 



The Revelation of John 



any of the other letters. 

E. In the case of the other letters the description of Christ 
in the introduction is strikingly in harmony with all we know 
of the cities in which these churches are located. But here He 
holds Himself up as the most exalted, though addressing a 
church belonging to a city that, so far as we know, was the 
most insignificant of the seven. If, however, our knowledge of 
the church and the city of Thyatira were greater we might 
find the description of Christ here also in harmony with them. 

2. Recognition. "I know ... first." Here we have 
a warm and hearty appreciation of the merits of the Thyatiran 
church. It was a church that possessed in a marked degree a 
number of important characteristics of a Christian congrega- 
tion. The love and faith may have been shown toward God 
or toward each other, but more probably toward both in greater 
or less degree. The service is especially emphasized for we 
find their "works" twice mentioned in this short sentence, and 
their "service" as well, and also the expression, "and the last 
more than the first," which shows that they were increasing in 
this way, while in it all their patience is noted. 

3. Complaint. "But I have . . . idols." 

A. Who was this woman Jezebel? It is plain from the 
accurate knowledge of the condition of the seven churches that 
the author displays, and from the language of this letter that 
she was a real person or party in the church but whether her 
real name was Jezebel, or whether this name has been given her 
by the author because of her resemblance to the wicked wife of 
king Ahab (1 Kings xvi: 31, xviii: 13, xix: 2, etc.) we can only 
guess. The apocalyptic nature of the book would tend to in- 
dicate that this was not her real name. At any rate it is fairly 
clear that she is a member of the Christian body and not a 
heathen prophetess operating from without; it is not to any 
kind of heathen worship that she invites the Christians but to a 
loose form of Christian life, "To know the deep things of Satan" 
(vs. 24) appears to have been their motto. This appears to 
point to practices that were common in the early church but 
contrary to the teachings of Paul (1 Cor. viii: iff, x: igff), 
Peter (2 Pet. ii: I4ff), Jude, and the letters to the seven 
churches. 

B. The nature of her teaching we must gather from what 
is here said as we have no further reference to the matter. The 



Exposition 



85 



very strong language used shows how obnoxious her doctrines 
and methods were to the author. She calls herself a prophetess. 
Notwithstanding the dictum of the apostle (1 Cor. xiv: 34 
and 1 Tim. ii: 12) there were prophetesses in the early church 
(Acts xxi: 9), and several are mentioned in the Old Testa- 
ment, (see Ex. xv: 20, Jud. iv: 4, 2 Kings xxii: 14, Isa. viii: 
3 and cf. Luke ii: 36). The prophets were a recognized class 
in the Church in the time of the Apostles and we may be sure 
their influence was great. If "Jezebel" then could' secure rec- 
ognition as a prophet she had gained great advantage in publish- 
ing her doctrines. She is actually at work when the letter is 
written (StScWet, irXava) , and with such success that real Chris- 
tians are led by her to commit fornication and to eat things 
offered to idols. By the decision of the Council of Jerusalem 
(Acts xv : 28) these two things were absolutely forbidden and 
this appears to be in the author's mind in vs. 24 when he uses 
the words "I will cast upon you no other burden." In ii: 14, 
15 we have the Nicolaitanes associated with Balaam and his 
heresy, but here there is no such association of Jezebel. Pro- 
fessor Ramsay (Letters p. 335ff) believes that she belonged to 
the Nicolaitanes and was the principal exponent of their teach- 
ings in the province (see note on ii: 6). When we reflect that 
the Nicolaitanes have been associated in vs. 14 and 15 with 
teachings that are closely akin to the results of Jezebel's work 
here mentioned and all are particularly obnoxious to Christ in 
all the three letters to which reference is made to them, it ap- 
pears probable that all are of the same type and closely related. 

C. Not only is Jezebel and her party included in the Thy- 
atiran church but she is allowed by them (d<£ets) to teach and 
seduce others in the church. This caused no diminution in 
the church's increasing volume of good works. The praise 
accorded them is for the whole church, including the Nicolait- 
anes, who indeed may have cherished "love and faith and service 
and patience," and at the same time continued active in the 
practical work of the congregation. There is no indication of 
any opposition to her in the congregation but rather of esteem 
and approval. But her influence was decidedly unhealthy, and 
any merits she may have had made her the more dangerous by 
increasing her influence. And further, we know that connected 
with her were some practises on which the early Christians 
found it difficult to decide their proper course. In the matter of 



86 



The Revelation of John 



fornication there was a general sentiment against it and 
although some members of the Christian communities were 
guilty of the evil it was generally denounced ; but it was always 
recognized as clearly inconsistent with Christian life, (i Cor. 
v: i, vi: 13, 18, 2 Cor. xii: 21, Eph. v: 3, 1 Thess. iv: 3, 2 
Peter ii: 1 4flE, Jude 7). It was different however, in the case 
of the eating of meats offered to idols. The problem was before 
the Christians continually in all pagan communities and es- 
pecially in the cities of Asia Minor, where trade and industry, 
society, and political life were saturated with the principles and 
practises of heathen religion. What attitude should Christians 
take to these practises? The fact that we have such frequent 
reference to the matter shows how persistent was the difficulty ; 
(see Acts xv: 29, xxi: 25, 1 Cor. viii: iff, x: 19ft, 2 Pet. ii, 
Jude 7fl). The matter was one of practical every day living. 
In the matter of the eating of meats that had been offered in 
sacrifice to idols a practical principle for their daily guidance 
is laid down in ( 1 Cor. chaps, viii and x). So far as the meat 
itself was concerned they might partake of it; but in doing so 
they must on the one hand be careful to avoid injury to weaker 
brethren by their example, and on the other they must be un- 
flinchingly faithful to Christ. They might ordinarily remain 
passive and unprotesting and need not be inquisitive or critical 
as they moved among their pagan associates, but they should 
be willing to deny themselves that which, while right and 
proper in itself and for them, would yet be injurious in its 
influence on a weaker brother, or an act of unfaithfulness to 
Christ. This principle, we may assume, came to be the one 
adopted by the Christians, not merely in the matter of eating 
meats offered to idols but in all their aspects of practical every 
day religious life so far as it had to do with pagan religions. 
But Jezebel, Nicolaitanes, and Balaam elements in the church 
argued for a more liberal and generous attitude. They would 
urge a fuller knowledge of "the deep things of Satan" (vs. 
24). The issue thus came to be one of adapting Christianity to 
the circumstances of the time and really denying Christ, or 
holding fast to Christ and refusing compromise with practice 
that was essentially opposed to Christian principles. To the 
lasting credit of Paul, Peter, Jude, and the writer of the 
Apocalypse let it be said that they chose the former. Any other 
course would have meant the weakening and death of the 



Exposition 



87 



Church. Professor E. Schiirer in 1892 published an article 
in which he argued that the Thyatiran Jezebel was the sibyl 
of the Sambathian shrine in the Chaldean quarter outside of 
Thyatira, and she was variously described as a Chaldean, Heb- 
rew, Egyptian, Babylonian, or Persian soothsayer. Although 
this view has attractive features it must be discarded because it 
is impossible to believe that a church so highly praised for its 
love, faith, patience, service, and works could admit so com- 
pletely a distinct and well known heathen sibyl. Some ancient 
manuscripts have the pronoun aov (thy) after the word yvvacm. 
If this reading is adopted the meaning is "thy woman," and the 
close relationship between Jezebel and the church there is 
further indicated. We are told that Grotius accepted this read- 
ing and as he held that the angels of the churches were their 
bishops he concluded that Jezebel was the wife of the bishop of 
the church at Thyatira. 

4. Judgment is pronounced on Jezebel and her party in vs. 
21-23, "I gave her time . . . according to your works." 

A. Opportunity to improve has been given to Jezebel and 
her company but there is no sign of improvement; in the ex- 
pressive language of the original, she does not wish to repent, 
(ov OiXzi /meTavorjaai) . The fact that she was given time to 
repent would indicate that the evil had existed for some time, 
not necessarily in Thyatira as prophets and teachers often moved 
from place to place. 

B. The judgment will be like the sin. She will be cast into a 
bed and those with whom she has been guilty. Authorities are 
inclined to prefer fidWw (present, — cast) to /3a\w (future — 
will cast) regarding the event as imminent, but the future form 
IJLeTavorjcrovcrLv (will repent) suggests that the future may be 
correct here. The bed (kXlvtjv) may be the banquet couch on 
which those partaking of the pagan feasts reclined, but it will 
be one of great misery for her and her guilty associates. There 
is however a chance of escape from this suifering even yet if 
"they repent of her works." The adulteries were certainly 
spiritual and may have been physical as well. 

C. A second element in the judgment will be the death of 
her children, i. e., her spiritual followers who fail to repent. 

D. The result of this severe treatment would be that Christ 
would be recognized in all the churches as One from whom no 
evil or good could be hid. The reins (kidneys or loins) signi- 



88 



The Revelation of John 



fied the seat of inmost thoughts and purposes of the soul ; hearts, 
the seat and centre of all physical and spiritual life, the soul 
or mind as the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, de- 
sires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors, — Thayer. Thus 
His searching and penetrating power is emphasized (cf. Jer xi: 
20 and xvii: 10). Though Thyatira was small and remote the 
news would spread throughout the province to all the Christian 
communities. 

E. While the judgment may be in a sense collective, each 
member of the church is to receive according to his works. The 
innocent will not be punished for the guilty or the guilty es- 
cape for the innocent, but each one according to his works, as 
the works are in this case an expression of the inner life. 

5. A promise of splendid reward is given to those who do not 
yield to the allurements of "Jezebel." "But to the rest of you 
. . . I come." 

A. Lest there should be any mistake or confusion in the 
matter great care is taken to indicate clearly those for whom 
it is meant. They are "the rest in Thyatira," which does not 
mean that they were necessarily in the minority. In ix: 20 the 
rest is two-thirds of the whole, and in xix: 21 the rest is all but 
two. They are "such as have not this teaching," i. e., of course, 
the teaching of "Jezebel" the false prophetess. Still again they 
are those who do not know the depths of Satan, as they say. 
"To know the depths," was a common phrase of the heretical 
sects of the second century and was used to signify the extent 
of the knowledge to which they believed they had attained. The 
phrase had come into use when the seven letters were written 
and was a common one with the prophetess and her followers. 

B. No other burden was put upon them. This appears to 
carry us back to the Council of Jerusalem and its decision (Acts 
xv : 28, 29). Only the abstinence from fornication and things 
offered to idols, (and not abstinence from things strangled and 
from blood) is reimposed. But they must bear this minimum 
burden. This the followers of Jezebel would explain away or 
teach them to avoid. But as it must stand they condemned 
themselves. 

C. They must, however, hold fast until He comes, what they 
already possess. That the expression, "what you have" refers, 
not to the burden but to the love, faith, patience, service, and 



Exposition 



8 9 



works of verse 19 (and especially the works), is plain from 
verse 26. 

D. The first reward given to these who faithfully pursue 
the path of virtue to the end will be authority (e£oWa). Thy- 
atira seemed to be the most poorly fitted of all the seven cities 
to rule over the nations. But to the church there is given the 
promise of universal power (cf. Ps. ii: 8f). He will rule over 
them as a shepherd does over his flock (Trot/xavet) , his staff a rod 
of iron, his power sufficient to crush them to pieces like pot- 
ters' vessels. Every one of them who, like Christ, was faithful 
unto the end, even though that end was death, received from 
Christ a victory and a share with Him in the subjugation of 
the world. Every seeming victory that the Imperial power 
achieved over the followers of Christ was but a step toward its 
own ultimate defeat and death. 

E. The Christian who endures to the end will also receive 
the morning star from Christ. This probably was suggested by 
some circumstance in Thyatira well known to the members of 
the church, but what it was we cannot even guess now. How- 
ever in xxii: 16 Jesus declares Himself to be "the bright, 
the morning star." We may understand that by this figure 
Christ would indicate that the victorious disciple will not 
merely receive power over the nations from Him, but will 
receive Himself without the terrible character of the previous 
verse, but with equal or even increased brilliance. 

6. The letter closes with the same general appeal as is con- 
tained in the closing portions of the other six letters. 



IX 



The Letter to the Church in Sardis. iii: 1-6. 

Sardis was situated at the juncture of the roads from Per- 
gamum and Smyrna on a rocky cliff overlooking the Hermus 
valley. It was about 30 miles southeast of Thyatira, and had 
been the ancient capital of Lydia. It was looked upon by the 
ancient Greeks as a very important city, but its importance had 
greatly decreased when John penned the words of the letter 
before us. 

The city was not easy to reach. On the east, north, and west 
the cliff was almost perpendicular and was regarded as inaces- 
sible. The only approach to it was from the south by a steep 
winding road that led across a narrow neck to the fortress some 
1,500 feet above the level of the plain. It thus formed an ideal 
location for a stronghold in primitive times. 

The history of Sardis goes back to the distant past reaching 
apparently to the beginning of the Lydian kingdom about 1200 
B. C. From that, time onward for many centuries it continued 
to be the capital. But as time went on the lofty promotory be- 
came too small for the capital and a new city was built around 
the base of the perpendicular cliff, the old one forming for it a 
splendid acropolis. Because of its strong military position the 
fate of Lydia was bound up with the fate of Sardis, the great, 
wealthy, and impregnable city which no one could capture. 

Twice in its history, however, Sardis was captured, and both 
times by strategy. The first time was in the middle of the sixth 
century B. C. by the Persians. Croesus the Lydian king, fabled 
for his great wealth, in preparing for his last war had taken, as 
he thought, all precautions to secure victory. According to the 
story Solon, the wise Greek law-giver, when on a visit to Sardis, 
had warned Croesus to beware of self satisfaction and to call 
no man happy until he was dead and thus beyond the danger of 
defeat. The king desired to take the gods for his allies. He 
consulted the oracle at Delphi as in it alone he had confidence, 
for he had tried many others and found them wanting. With 
regard to the war with Cyrus the oracle informed him that if he 

90 



Exposition 



91 



crossed the Halys he would destroy a powerful empire. He 
acted on the suggestion but was overwhelmingly defeated by 
Cyrus whose army pursued him to Sardis where the wealthy 
but defeated monarch took refuge, intending to raise a second 
army and destroy his Persian opponent. But before he could 
do this the victorious Persians had laid siege to his fortress. 
However he expected that they would soon be destroyed by his 
new army. Resting in that hope and confident that his strong- 
hold could never be reached except by the one approach on the 
south which was well guarded, he retired to rest one evening 
as usual. But when he and his people awoke in the morning 
they found the Persians in possession of their city and fortress. 
The besiegers had discovered a crack or ledge on the steep rocky 
side of the fortress unnoticed by the defenders. Up that they 
climbed, and before their presence was known they had gained 
the prize, and Sardis was lost. The fate of Crcesus and his 
garrison long afterward served to warn the Greeks against 
overconfidence and careless security. The second occasion of 
the capture of Sardis was in 218 B. C. when Lagoras a native 
of Crete climbed the rocky face of the cliff and secured the 
coveted fortress for Antiochus. It was the story of Crcesus 
repeated. The garrison guarded the one known approach and 
left the rest of the circuit unprotected, in the belief that it 
could not be scaled. , 

In 334 B. C. the city surrendered willingly to Alexander the 
Great, who made it a self governing Greek city. But its for- 
tunes varied as time passed. After the battle of Magnesia the 
Romans incorporated it in the realm of Pergamum. In A. D. 
17 with eleven other cities it was destroyed by a great earth- 
quake, but the emperor Tiberius remitted all its taxes for five 
years and in addition contributed ten million sesterces (about 
$2,000,000) to help rebuild it, so that it again became a great 
city. 

The chief religious cult of Sardis was that of the goddess 
Cybele who was patron deity of the city and of whose temple 
two columns are still standing and visible. She was worshipped 
under the form of a strange and uncouth idol. The Sardian 
goddess was looked upon as the mother of her people. She 
dwelt in nature, particularly in Mt. Tmolus, and by the sacred 
lake of Koloe some miles north of the city across the Hermus 
river beside which was the necropolis of Sardis, where, in the 



92 



The Revelation of John 



early days, its chiefs and rulers were laid to return to their 
divine mother. The favorite animal and the symbol of the god- 
dess was the lion. She was everywhere thought to have healing 
power and even the ability to restore life to the dead. This 
power seems to have been associated with certain hot springs 
famous for their curative properties and situated close to the 
city. Dionysius, Aphrodite, Athena, the Lydian Apollo, and 
the local deities of Tmolus and Hermus, were also honored at 
Sardis. As elsewhere in Asia the local worship became fused 
with the Imperial religion. 

But when the Apocalypse was written Sardis had passed the 
zenith of its excellence and had become a city of the past, though 
its people continued to remember and cherish the ancient glory 
of their city. The greatness which it possessed was due to its 
military importance, and under the peaceful reign of Rome 
that could not continue. Thus it was steadily and continuously 
decaying. Only in the long period of the Turkish wars in the 
middle ages did it again become important. It has now al- 
most entirely disappeared. 

In none of the seven letters do we discern a closer or more 
frequent reference to the history, character, and circumstances 
of its city than in that of Sardis. This will appear as we con- 
sider the letter in detail. 

Then we notice the great similarity between this letter and 
the one to the Ephesian church. The introductions are similar, 
both churches were retrograding but the Sardian church had 
advanced much further in this way than that at Ephesus; both 
had begun enthusiastically and commendably but had cooled 
down. The language in which both are reminded of their 
shortcoming is similar, as is that in which they are warned of 
the result of their failure. 

I. Introduction. "These things says . , . stars. " 

A. The seven spirits of God. In ch. v: 6 the seven eyes of 
the Lamb are declared to be "the seven spirits of God sent 
forth into all the earth, " and in iv: 5 they are "lamps of fire" 
burning before the throne of God. In i : 4 they are not defined. 
Probably therefore we should understand the expression to 
imply that not only is Christ in the midst of the churches hold- 
ing them in His hand (i: 16, 20) but also in their midst scru- 
tinizing their inmost being and taking note of their merits and 
defects. In the light of such an inquiry the church in Sardis 



Exposition 



93 



falls very far short. 

B. The seven stars (cf. i: 16, 20, ii: 1 and notes). 

2. Complaint. "I know . . . dead." Here the tone 
and language become severe. The church, like the city in which 
it was situated, was really dead while seeming and claiming to 
be alive. The characteristic of the church in Smyrna was life 
in apparent death ; but of Sardis it is just the opposite, — death 
in apparent life. 

3. The exhortation is urgent and suited to the character of 
the church to which it is addressed, "Be watchful . . . 
repent." 

A. This exhortation begins with an appeal for watchfulness. 
Doubtless the author has in mind the two occasions when Sardis 
was captured because of its failure to exercise sufficient vigi- 
lance; so the church there must bestir itself. Amid the general 
death Christ saw signs of life. 

B. Like the city again the church was dying and it must 
hasten to strengthen its position by establishing any graces of 
faith, love, patience that were left, and by vigorous activity 
in the service of Christ. 

C. The character of their works is indicated. Their works 
were incomplete in the sight of God. This indicates an in- 
different and slothful spiritual condition on the part of the 
church. Their works were few and of poor quality, lacking the 
spirit of life that made them acceptable to God. 

D. The thoughts of the church are turned to the earlier 
days in order to stimulate her to recovery. She had heard the 
gospel and received it but had not kept it. She must turn from 
her present condition of indifference and neglect to a condition 
of watchful care over the faith committed to her. 

4. Warning. "If therefore . . . come upon you." 
Could any words be more suited to the circumstances of the 
church in Sardis than these words which would call to mind 
the lack of watchful care resulting in the capture of the city 
twice in the past when the soldiers of Cyrus and Antiochus came 
upon the city "as a thief?" No city so carelessly guarded could 
hope to escape, nor could a church so indifferent prevail. 

5. Recognition. "But you . . . worthy." 

A. Although the church as a whole was past hope there were 
a few in it who had remained faithful to Christ. These had 
kept themselves unspotted from the prevailing wickedness about 



94 



The Revelation of John 



them. The expression "did not defile their garments," may 
doubtless be taken as indicating the source of the trouble with 
the church in Sardis. It had suffered from too close contact 
with heathen impurities and had insufficiently cared for its 
relation to Christ. 

B. These faithful ones would continue in their purity and in 
their fellowship with Christ and indeed that purity and fellow- 
ship would be increased. Whatever the color of their garments 
may have been, they will be clothed in white, the symbol of 
spotless purity. For their care in avoiding the evils surrounding 
them they will be rewarded with perfect purity. And to that 
purity will be added the closest fellowship with Christ. They 
shall walk with Him. By this it is evidently meant that their 
relationship to Him will be very close and personal. It is 
impossible to miss, too, the note of personal affection to them 
expressed in these words. 

C. The reason for this is given very briefly, "They are 
worthy/' and these words are so plain that there is no possi- 
bility of mistaking their meaning. 

6. Promise. "He who thus overcomes . . . angels." 

A. The overcomer is promised an attire of white, repeating 
and applying to every member of the church in Sardis who 
would comply with the condition the promise of vs. 4, though 
it is not said that he will walk with Christ. The white gar- 
ments doubtless were intended to typify purity received through 
the cleansing power of Christ (cf. vii: 13). 

B. "And I will not . . . life." In all Greek and Ro- 
man cities a record of the citizens was kept according to their 
class or tribe. In this record the names of new citizens w^ere 
entered and from it the names of those degraded were removed. 
The record was one of living citizens. So Christ had His record 
of His people. Those who overcome He enrolls as citizens of 
His kingdom. This again is another way of expressing Christ's 
recognition of His people who by His grace have overcome. 

C. Those who overcome Christ will recognize as His own 
before God. 

7. The letter closes with the same general appeal as that 
which concludes the other six. 



X 



The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia, iii: 7-13. 

Following the great road southeasterly from Sardis for some 
30 miles the ancient messenger would reach Philadelphia, a 
small city founded about the middle of the second century 
B. C. and given its name in honor of Attalus II who was de- 
scribed by this term because of his loyalty to his brother. While 
the military interest was never wholly absent in important 
eastern cities in New Testament times, it would appear that it 
was of secondary importance in the case of Philadelphia, which 
was founded chiefly to be a centre of Graeco-Asiatic civiliza- 
tion, and thus to spread civilization in the territories east of and 
beyond it. Thus from the beginning it is stamped as a mis- 
sionary city, and so successful was it that before A. D. 19 Greek 
had become the sole language of Lydia. 

Philadelphia became famous chiefly because of the great 
earthquake of A. D. 17 which destroyed, or greatly injured, 
twelve cities of the Province, and like Sardis it received from 
Tiberius the emperor generous help to rebuild. We learn from 
Strabo (who wrote in A. D. 20) that earthquake shocks were 
then frequent and that the people were so much afraid of them 
that many resided outside the city in booths and huts, while 
those who remained took special precautions to support their 
houses. The city is situated at the edge of a great plateau 
where volcanic eruptions and earthquakes were common in 
ancient times, and the black lava streams and heaps of cinders 
are yet visible. In appreciation of the emperor's generosity 
Philadelphia joined with the other stricken cities and built a 
monument in his honor at Rome, also it took the new name of 
, Neokaisareia in his honor but the new name seems to have 
fallen out of use later and the old one appears to have been 
restored to popular favor. Again in the reign of Vespasian 
A. D. 70-79, it took the new name of Flavia. 

The chief deity of Philadelphia was Dionysos Kathegemon 
whose worship, as in Pergamum became merged in the Im- 
perial cult. 

We may then sum up the distinctive features of Philadelphia 
as four : — first, it was a missionary city ; second, its people lived 

95 



96 



The Revelation of John 



continually in fear of a disaster; third, many of its people went 
outside the city to live; fourth, it took a new name on two 
occasions. 

The letter to the church in Philadelphia is to be classed with 
the one to the church in Smyrna as against either the Head of 
the church makes no complaint at all. But it differs from the 
other six letters in the warmth of affection expressed to the 
church as a whole. To none of the other churches does He say, 
"I loved you." 

The letters to the Smyrnaean and Philadelphian churches 
form a class by themselves because in them there is no com- 
plaint against these churches. Other analogies are: — The 
praise to both is far more hearty than that to any of the others ; 
both had serious difficulties to meet, the church at Smyrna 
poverty, the one at Philadelphia, weakness; both had to con- 
tend with difficulties caused by the Jews; both may expect 
suffering and trial, but both it is hoped, will bear it ; in the case 
of these only is a crown part of the reward; and in these only 
are difficulties created by the Jews mentioned, although there 
must have been Jews in all the seven cities, and in many, and 
perhaps all places where there were Christians they must have 
been a source of trouble to their Christian neighbors. We may 
also note that these two cities have been the strength and glory 
of the country since it fell under Mohammedan rule, and they 
are the two places which resisted Turkish capture the longest, 
and where even in slavery the Christians preserved cohesion 
among themselves and real influence among their Turkish con- 
querors (Ramsay, Letters 402f). 

i. Introduction. "These things says . . . opens." This 
address differs from those to the other churches in that not one 
of the points in the description of Christ is found in the com- 
plete description of Him in i: 13-18. Still the description is 
remarkably suited to the character of the church there. 

A. Christ is referred to as "The Holy" (6 ayios) and above 
all others the letter indicates that Philadelphia was the holy 
city which He loved. To the holy city He is the One of abso- 
lute holiness and truth. 

B. Christ is also referred to as "The True" (6 aXrjOtvos) cf. 
iii : 14 and xix : 11. This designation of Him is also particularly 
appropriate in addressing a church that has kept His word and 



Exposition 



97 



has not denied His name while its enemies are those who falsely 
claim to be Jews. 

C. Christ is represented further as having the key of David, 
and as possessing supreme power to open and shut (cf. Isa. 
xxii: 22). This again is particularly suitable in the case of a 
city that is active as a missionary centre and a church that was 
of the same character. 

2. Recognition. "I know your works . . . my name." 
Here the works are such as meet with unqualified approval. 
Not much is said of the detailed character of the works but we 
may assume from the tone of the letter that there was much 
love, faith, patience, and service, especially as there is before 
this church the privilege of a great opportunity, and as He rep- 
resents Himself to be Holy and True. 

There is considerable doubt as to the exact relationship of 
the clauses of this verse and different interpretations are possible. 
First. To treat the expression, "Behold . . . shut" (i8ov 
avTijv) as a parenthesis and connect the conjunction 
(on, that, because) of the following clause with the opening 
words of the verse olSa aov ra epya. (I know your works). 
On this view the meaning is that He knows their works, that 
they have little strength but have kept His word and not denied 
His name in spite of their weakness. The parenthesis would be 
separated by dashes as in the text of Westcott and Hort (OtSa 

gov ra epya, — ISov avrrjv, — on ) 

Thus the character of their works is clearly indicated with a 
suggestion of the reason of the open door that He has given 
them. This is the view taken in the Revised Version and by 
Dr. H. B. Swete. Second. We might understand the clause 
ISov . . . avTTjv as not being parenthetical and the on 
. . . /toy as connected with it explaining why He has set 
before them the open door. Then we should have a semi- 
colon or period after epya and a semicolon (or preferably a 
comma) after avrr^v, and the meaning is that because of their 
fidelity to Him in their weakness they are given a great work 
to do. Thus the reason of the open door is clearly indicated 
with a suggestion as to the character of the works. This view 
is followed by the Authorized Version and Professors Scott and 
Ramsay. 

A. He had set before them an open door that none could 
shut. The figure of the open door is common in the New 



98 



The Revelation of John 



Testament; Acts xiv: 27, I Cor. xvi: 9, 2 Cor. ii: 12, Col. iv: 3, 
are examples indicating the significance attached to the phrase 
in the Apostolic Church. There can be little doubt that it 
bears the same meaning here, and that meaning is an opportunity 
for successful missionary activity, and not an entrance into 
eternal life or into God's kingdom on earth. There was a large 
territory north and east from Philadelphia waiting for and 
needing the gospel, and the church there was the one to have the 
honor of doing the work. 

B. The city lay at the upper end of a broad depression ex- 
tending from the coast, and at the edge of the great plateau of 
Phrygia. One of the two chief arteries of travel and com- 
merce passed through it from Smyrna eastward to the vast 
country beyond, and a great route for trade and travel meant 
also an opportunity for missionary effort. Thus Philadelphia 
was at the portal of the vast territory of the Phrygian plateau. 
The language is strong, and to no other of the seven churches 
is anything like it said. The opportunity was a gift from Christ 
and none would be able to take it from them. They had been 
using the little strength they had keeping His word and not 
denying His name, and "to him that hath shall be given. " And 
while we are not told that the church used the opportunity 
thus given it, we may infer that to have been the case. We 
may note also that here alone in the seven letters is there a 
reference to what seems to be the reason why these particular 
seven cities were marked out to be "the Seven Churches of 
Asia." While all the churches in Asia, had their doors of op- 
portunity, and all the seven to whom the Apocalypse is ad- 
dressed had their subsidiary districts, the Philadelphian church 
was marked out as the most conspicuous in this particular 
feature. 

C. The strength of the church was small, which doubtless 
means either that it was composed of but a few people, or that 
it had little influence, or perhaps both. But in spite of this 
handicap it had faithfully kept His word and had not denied 
His name. The city itself was weak, especially after the great 
earthquake of A. D. 17, and because of the frequent recur- 
rence of the shocks afterward it only slowly regained its 
strength, most people being afraid to live in it, while those who 
did dwell there had to devise special measures to support their 
dwellings and buildings. The particular nature of the circum- 



Exposition 



99 



stances through which its fidelity had been conspicuous we are 
not told ; but they may have been connected with the opposi- 
tion of the Jews as mentioned in the following verse. 

3. Encouragement. Here we have two great promises, the 
first related to present trials, the second to a time of coming 
hardship. There is also a third, a general one, like those of the 
other letters, "to him who overcomes, etc." In the first two of 
these especially, we see the very warm attitude of Christ toward 
the Philadelphian church. 

A. "Behold I give . . . loved you." The Jews were 
an important class in the Asian cities and evidently were a 
source of considerable trouble to the Christians as we learn from 
various parts of the New Testament. There as in Smyrna 
(ii: 9) they are Jews in name but far from being so in the 
strictest sense. In all probability their chief characteristic there 
as elsewhere in those days was their intense national spirit sup- 
ported by their religious ideas. They believed themselves to be 
the chosen of God whom He would exalt to be the rulers of 
the world at the coming of Messiah. They thus despised those 
of their number who became Christians, esteeming them as 
traitors to their race and enemies to God, being without the 
true spirit of love to God and to their fellow men (Lev. xix: 
18, Deut. vi: 5). But there was to be a change. Christ would 
force these same Jews to recognize His love for the Phila- 
delphian church, and to bow in reverence before it, thus rec- 
ognizing that not themselves but the church, is the true Israel 
of God. 

B. "Because you kept . . . world." They have been 
faithful to Christ and Christ would not forsake them when 
they needed Him most. A season of trial was near at hand but 
its character is not definitely disclosed. To the Christians of 
that day it would mean the troublous times that were thought 
immediately to precede the return of Christ which was be- 
lieved to be near at hand ; these troublous times they would 
identify with the Imperial persecution then begun. The words 
would recall to their hearers and readers the great earthquake, 
which was still fresh in the minds of the people, and be an as- 
surance to the little Philadelphian church of safety in any trial 
that should come. The trial would fall upon the whole in- 
habited world and would "try" or sift the people, separating as 
it were, the wheat from the chaff. 



IOO 



The Revelation of John 



4. Exhortation. "I . . . crown." 

A. The time of Christ's return was not far distant. 

B. The promises were conditional. If they were to receive 
the homage of the Jews, and safe keeping in the hour of trial, 
they must persevere in their fidelity to Christ. If they failed 
in this way some other might capture the prize that was theirs. 

5. A great promise is given. "He who overcomes . . . 
name." 

A. The overcomer would be made a pillar in the temple of 
God, and he should go no more out. A pillar in a building 
serves to strengthen and support the building which rests upon 
it, while it is fixed firmly by the building. The victorious 
Christian in Philadelphia would be upholding the honor of 
Christ there and at the same time would be fixed himself so that 
he would be shaken in no disaster, nor would be ever "go out" 
from goodness as the residents of his city went out to live after 
the great earthquake. 

B. The conqueror is to receive a new name, indeed three 
new names, though Prof. Ramsay believes it to be one name 
with a three-fold significance (Letters p. 412) Christ will write 
upon him. First. The new name of my God (cf. 2 Cor. iii: 
3). This can only mean that their lives and characters will be 
radiant with the Divine grace given through Christ, as they 
honor and serve Him. Second. The name of the city of God, 
New Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from God, (cf. 
Gal. iv: 26 and Heb. xii: 22) ; to bear the name of the city of 
God is to be included in the number of her citizens. New 
( Kaivrj ) refers to quality not time or age, and its heavenly 
quality is indicated by its coming down out of heaven from 
God. This is explained more fully in (xxi: 2-27). Third. The 
new name of Christ is also to be given him. By this we are 
probably to understand a symbol of the fuller glories of His 
person and character. The new name of Christ is probably 
one of the designations of Him found in the book and one that 
had not been particularly applied to Him before. Of these there 
are several, Lion of the tribe of Judah (v: 5), Root of David 
(v: 5 and xxii : 16), a mysterious name (xix: 12), Word of 
God (xix: 13), King of kings and Lord of lords (xvii: 14 
and xix: 16), Offspring of David (xxii: 16), Bright and Morn- 
ing Star (xxii: 16). Some of these might be described as char- 
acterizations rather than names. But the names in v: 5 and 



Exposition 



IOI 



xix: 13, 16 appear to be names of Christ and the last two are 
distinctly called names. These are applied to Him as a con- 
queror and seem to be particularly suited to this passage, es- 
pecially the latter. We are to understand that the overcomer 
by receiving the new name of Christ is characterized as a king 
and a victor with Him. 

C. With Prof. Ramsay, (Letters p. 409ff) we may note 
that the gift of the new names is another fine adaptation of the 
message to the history of the city where the church addressed 
was located. Philadelphia only of the seven cities abandoned 
its old name and took a new name derived from the Imperial 
religion, calling itself Neokaisareia in honor of the emperor 
and building a temple for his worship as a mark of appreciation 
of his generosity to them after the earthquake, and adding to 
the temple a priest and a ritual. Such a name was considered 
as very honorable, was taken only with the approval of the 
Roman Senate, and was thought to bind the city closely to the 
Imperial service. Thus Philadelphia took the name of the 
Imperial god and designated itself as his city. If the new name 
Neokaisareia, referred to Germanicus the emperor's son the 
parallel would be all the more complete. On a second occasion 
too, as we learned above, the city adopted a new name. But 
not for long did it retain either of these, but reverted to its old 
name some time before the Apocalypse was written; and as 
there is no mention of the worship of this temple after A. D. 
50, and as the city later returned to its old name, perhaps we 
may assume that the temple had fallen into disuse. This would 
give John a fine opportunity to point out the superior gift of 
Christ who will do far more for them than the emperor's 
bounty ever could for the pagan city. 

6. The letter concludes with the same appeal as the other six. 

It is interesting to note that in the times when we can catch a 
glimpse of Philadelphia it is living amid dangers. In ancient 
times there were earthquakes, in more recent times there were 
Turkish attacks. But above all others of the seven cities it has 
been kept from the hour of trial, standing like a pillar, faithful 
to the Name and patient to the last. 



XI 



The Letter to the Church in Laodicea. iii: 14-22. 

Laodicea the last of the seven cities, occupied an important 
position in the valley of the Lycus river almost due east of 
Ephesus. It was distant some 40 miles from Philadelphia and 
located at the confluence of two great roads, one coming south- 
east to it from Sardis and Philadelphia while the other connected 
it with Ephesus. The united road extended far to the east- 
ward, connecting it with the vast interior of the peninsula. It 
was thus the gateway to the interior. The city was founded 
by Antiochus II about the middle of the third century B. C. 
and named after his wife. Its mission was to be a centre for 
the spread of Greek civilization and language in barbarian 
Phrygia but in this it failed so completely that Phrygia was the 
least Hellenized part of the province though the reason of its 
failure, when Philadelphia its neighbor succeeded in the same 
work, we do not know. Of course every outpost of civilization 
in those days was more or less military in its nature and Laodi- 
cea was no exception. It was a strong fortress but it had one 
serious weakness. So far as we can now judge it was entirely 
dependent for its water supply on an aqueduct supplied from 
springs some six miles to the south. This an enemy on the out- 
side could easily cut off and render the city entirely helpless. 

Laodicea was of considerable commercial importance. It was 
only a small city before the Roman time but when the Ro- 
mans kept peace in the country it grew rapidly. It was a 
centre of trade and banking so that in 51 B. C. Cicero, the 
Latin author, brought orders to be cashed there. It became 
quite famous as a manufacturing centre where garments of 
various sorts were made and was especially noted for a black 
glossy wool produced in the valley. So prosperous was the 
city that when it was smitten by a great earthquake in A. D. 
60-1 it rose from its ruins without the assistance of an Im- 
perial subsidy. 

The chief god of the valley was Men Karou (Carian Men) 
whose temple was situated about 13 miles west of Laodicea. 
This temple was a centre of society, administration, intercourse, 
and trade, (as well as of religion), for the district. A market 

102 



Exposition 



103 



was held under its protection where the people met to trade 
with strangers from a distance. In connection with the temple 
there was a famous school of medicine, though the school seems 
to have been located in the city and not at the temple. This 
school had flourished for 150 or 200 years when the Apocalypse 
was written. An ointment for strengthening the ears was made 
at Laodicea and a powder or tabloid spoken of as Phrygian 
and used for the eyes was probably produced there originally. 
As Greek civilization and speech became common the people 
still worshipped Men but they identified him with the Greek 
god Zeus (Jupiter) who was commonly worshipped in that part 
of the province. Laodicea was an important centre in the 
Imperial religion and was honored with a temple wardenship 
toward the close of the second century A. D. 

Jews seem to have been quite numerous in Laodicea. In 
62 Be C. the Roman governor Flaccus refused to allow them 
to send their usual contribution to Jerusalem on the ground that 
the loss of the coin might be dangerous. The amount was 
twenty pounds weight of gold at Laodicea and a hundred 
pounds at Apameia in Phrygia. As the annual tax was two 
drachmae this would probably imply a population of some 7,500 
adult Jewish freemen in Laodicea and vicinity, (to which we 
must add women and children), and five times as many at 
Apameia. But the population in Laodicea and the Lycus val- 
ley generally was of a mixed character. 

Of the beginnings of the Christian Church in Laodicea we 
have some hints in the New Testament. When Paul addressed 
his letter to the church at Colosse he had not visited the district, 
although there was a body of Christians there and at Laodicea 
which was not far distant (Col. ii: 1). Of it he had some 
detailed knowledge (id. iv: 15) and sent it a letter (id. iv: 16). 
It may have been founded by Epaphras (Col. i: 7 and iv: I2ff) 
and it appears to have continued almost to modern times as it 
had a bishop in 1450 A. D. Sagaris its bishop died a martyr 
in A. D. 166 and various other of its bishops and presbyters are 
mentioned by early writers. It was the leading bishopric of 
Phrygia throughout the Christian period. Laodicea as a city 
was devoid of distinctive features and in this lies its peculiar 
character. Easily able to adapt itself to the needs and wishes 
of others it became pliable and accommodating, full of the spirit 
of compromise. 



104 



The Revelation of John 



1. Introduction. "These things says . . . God." These 
words stand in sharp contrast to the character of the church to 
which they are addressed. The description of Christ here, like 
that in the Philadelphian letter, is outside the general descrip- 
tion of Him in chapter i: 13-20. It is one, however, that re- 
markably suits the church at Laodicea, though the very opposite 
of the character of that church which was vacillating and un- 
reliable. 

A. He is the Amen. This word, originally derived from the 
Hebrew contains the idea of firmness, truth, reliability, stead- 
fastness. There may be a reference to Isa. lxv: 16 where the 
word is used of God ("God of truth") or the frequent use of 
the word by Christ may be in the writer's mind. 

B. He is the faithful and true witness (compare i: 5, iii: 7). 
He never fell short of perfect faithfulness and absolute truth 
no matter what the cost to Him. 

C. He is the beginning of the ; creation of God (rj apxy rrjs 
KTLaea)s tov Oeov). We cannot translate "the first of the crea- 
tion of God," as the whole tone of the Apocalypse represents 
Him as Divine and is such as to forbid our considering Him a 
created being, even though He were looked upon as the first 
or supreme member of the whole number of created objects. Dr. 
Swete (Apocalypse p. 59) understands the words to refer to 
Him as the origin of the creation, the uncreated principle from 
which it took its rise (cf. John i: 1, 3, 14). The word apx?} 
(beginning) will readily bear this sense. This is doubtless the 
best way to take it at least until further light is thrown on its 
meaning, especially as it is in accord with a description of Him 
with which the church there was in all likelihood familiar 
(Col. i: 15, 18 and iv: 15). 

2. Recognition. "I know your works . . . mouth." 

A. The condition. But as in the case of Sardis there is noth- 
ing commendable to note. The Laodicean church seems to be 
free from the evils that afflicted the churches in Ephesus, Per- 
gamum, Thyatira, and Sardis, but on the other hand it has 
none of their merits. It is lacking entirely in spiritual fervour, 
and so is not "hot." It is also lacking in that complete indiffer- 
ence which would characterize it as "cold." 

B. The result. Tepid water is nauseating to the taste and 
is expelled from the mouth, and such is lukewarmness to Christ. 
There may be a reference to some hot springs located at Hiera- 



Exposition 



105 



polis six miles north of Laodicea, whose waters become luke- 
warm as they traverse the plateau and in this state fall over the 
cliff directly opposite Laodicea. This cliff is visible for a great 
distance because of the white incrustations of lime that have 
gathered on it. 

3. Counsel. "Because you say . . . see." 

A. The church in Laodicea was located in a wealthy city 
and thought it had need of nothing. Not only was it luke- 
warm but it was contented to continue so, and was evidently 
greatly pleased and thoroughly satisfied with its condition, even 
boasting of it. 

B. In its abundant external wealth it failed to recognize its 
own spiritual poverty. Wealth in this world's goods is not 
wealth in God's sight (Luke xii: 21). The Laodicean church 
had the former but not the latter. Because ignorant and self- 
satisfied it was really the wretched one and miserable in spite of 
its boasted abundance and freedom from need. It was really 
poor because without that which made it rich toward God, blind 
because unable to discern its true condition, and naked because 
so completely without the clothing of Christ's righteousness. 

C. They are counselled by Christ Himself and the counsel 
is remarkably wise and helpful though direct and clear. That 
counsel is cast in language that fits in well with their circum- 
stances. They are not forbidden to continue in their mer- 
cantile pursuits but they must devote attention to Christ, re- 
ceiving from Him the real gold that was imperishable in con- 
trast to that which was current among the Laodiceans for this 
was the true riches, white garments that they might be clothed 
in contrast to the garments of black glossy wool so common 
there and so highly prized, and true medicine for the eyes in 
contrast to the tabloids (or powder) furnished by their own 
school of medicine. The meaning of all this is clear. They 
must give their minds and hearts to the things of Christ. The 
gold is doubtless faith, expressing itself in good works (Luke 
xii: 21, Jas. ii: 5, 1 Pet. i, 1 Tim. vi: 18). This is described 
as "refined from the fire" because of the severe trials attending 
the process ( 1 Pet. i : 7 ) . The white raiment is no doubt a 
life in Christ unspotted from the world (Gal. iii: 27, Jas. i: 
27) which alone will be sufficient in the fierce light of the 
Divine Presence (2 Cor. v: 10). The eye-salve is the Holy 
Spirit which brings spiritual illumination (John xvi: 8ff). To 



io6 



The Revelation of John 



buy these from Christ is to receive them from Him giving up 
for that purpose all the selfish ease and worldly things that may 
prevent their reception. 

4. Exhortation. "I rebuke and chasten . . . repent." 
The section from this point onward to the close of the chapter 
Professor Ramsay considers an epilogue to the whole seven let- 
ters and not a part of the letter to the church in Laodicea. The 
reasons for this, however, do not appear to be sufficient, and it 
seems better to consider it as a part of the letter. 

A. In spite of the declared intention of Christ to spew them 
out of his mouth these severe words are yet spoken in love and 
His rebuke and chastisement must be considered as evidence of 
His love, (cf. John xv: 2, Heb. xii: 6) ; rebuke (eAeyx^) refers 
more particularly to oral correction while chasten (iratSevo)) 
refers to more severe discipline such as a parent would give his 
child. We hear nothing of this church having borne any trials 
and its shortcomings may have been due to the lack of such. 
But severe discipline of this sort came later when, as Eusebius 
tells us (H. E. iv: 26, v: 24), Sagaris its bishop died in martyr- 
dom. 

B. Their defect was in enthusiasm ; therefore they are urged 
to exhibit a whole-hearted devotion to the Master. They should 
also repent and become fervent in spirit. 

5. Promise. "Behold I stand ... his throne." 

A. Here the speaker ceases to address the church as a whole 
but turns to its members individually. He comes to each one 
of them as a friend, and standing at the door knocks for ad- 
mission. If He is admitted the tenderest and most intimate 
fellowship is the result. The corporate life of the church has 
ceased to be a means of true fellowship with Christ but Christ 
still offers His fellowship to the individual. "Thus the most 
gracious invitation and also the most glorious promise are ad- 
dressed to those Christians for whom the conditions of spiritual 
life are most difficult." 

B. The promise. To the person who hears and responds to 
His words He offers a share in His own exaltation, and points 
to his own example as further encouragement. The writer of 
the book has attained to that blessedness in some degree accord- 
ing to his words in ch. i: 6. So far as we are able to see, the 
promise here has no connection with the circumstances of the 
church, though if we knew more of the historical situation we 



Exposition 



107 



might discern a real connection as in the case of the promises 
in the other letters. 

6. The letter like the others closes with a general appeal for 
attention, "He who has an ear let him hear, etc." 

7. This church is the only one which is absolutely and wholly 
condemned. There is not even a faithful remnant as in Sardis. 
Although counsel and promise are given there is no hope that 
they will avail for the church as a whole though they may in 
the case of a few of the individuals that compose the church. 

Before passing from the seven letters it remains only to note 
that two are condemned — Sardis and Laodicea. Sardis has a 
remnant still faithful but even that is lacking in Laodicea, and 
at the present day these two are entirely deserted and unin- 
habited. Two churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, are praised 
in an unreserved and affectionate way, and these two cities had 
the glory and honor of being the last to yield in the long wars 
that led up to the Turkish conquest. To the remaining three 
mingled praise and blame is given though on the whole the 
praise exceeds the blame. Of these Pergamum and Thyatira 
persist to this day as towns of some importance while Ephesus 
alone, that should be moved out of its place if it did not repent, 
is only an insignificant village moved some little distance from 
the site of the ancient and important city. 



XII 



The Throne in Heaven, iv: i-ii. 

We now come to the second of the two great visions that 
chiefly make up the Apocalypse of John, this one extending from 
the beginning of ch. iv to ch. xxii: 5. In this section of the 
book we find its main purpose although something of that pur- 
pose may be discerned in the previous chapters. But in this 
vision the seer draws the veil and gives his readers a glimpse of 
the real nature of the forces which are at work in the world 
about them. And first there comes the vision of the throne in 
heaven given in this chapter. 

1. Introduction. "After these things ... in the spirit." 

A. "After these things," is a phrase that connects what fol- 
lows with what has preceded but indicates a change of some 
importance. It occurs again in ch. vii: 1, 9, xv: 5 and xviii : 1. 

B. "A door opened in the heaven." Similar expressions are 
found both in the Old and New Testaments (cf. Ezek. i: 1, 
Mark i: 10, John i: 51) and in apocalyptic literature (Enoch 
xiv: 13). Here it is a door of revelation and not a door of 
opportunity as in iii : 8 or the door of the heart as in iii : 20. 

C. He hears a voice which summons him to the angel speaker 
(cf. xix: 10, xxii: 8), and promises to reveal the future to him. 
In these words "what must come to pass hereafter," we have the 
great purpose of this vision indicated. That purpose is to ex- 
plain the future, and to this all else is subsidiary. 

D. Just as the words are spoken he enters that state of 
spiritual exaltation which he had experienced in the case of the 
first vision (i: 10) but apparently much more intense. Then it 
enabled him to see and hear, but now in addition to these 
powers it summons him to the side of the angel. 

2. The throne and its Occupant. "And behold ... 
appearance." 

A. The first object that he sees is an extraordinary Person 
sitting on a throne (6 P 6vos, seat). The rendering "a throne 
was set" of the Authorized Version, while literally and gram- 
matically correct is scarcely permissible here; the verb €K€lto 
(was placed) is generally used intransitively, and simply means, 

108 



Exposition 



log 



"was standing/' or merely, "was" (cf. John xix: 29), while the 
following clause indicates that the throne was occupied when 
John saw it, and consequently the act of placing it had previous- 
ly been completed. In the Old Testament the throne of God 
is often spoken of as in heaven (e. g. Ps. xi: 4). While the 
identity of the occupant of the throne may be guessed, it is not 
until vs. 8 that it is clearly indicated. 

B. The description of the Occupant of the throne is very 
simple. It is said merely that He appeared like a jasper and 
sardine stone and round about the throne was a rainbow like 
an emerald. It is difficult to decide exactly what precious 
stones as we know them, are meant here. But it is clear that 
the throne was surrounded by a bright halo and an arch or 
circle of different hue, both of which were splendid in ap- 
pearance. John may have in mind Ezek. i: 28. Attempts 
have been made to interpret the significance of these. Beyond 
the impression of holiness and majesty all such attempts are 
speculative and unreliable. 

3. The elders. "And round the throne ... on their 
heads." Around the haloed figure are twenty-four elders oc- 
cupying each a throne (or seat, 6p6vos). All are clad in white 
garments and wear golden crowns. What these signify is not 
plain and there has been great variety in the suggestion offered. 
They appear to form a heavenly senate or presbytery. That 
they form a symbol both in their character and number is clear, 
but of what is uncertain. Some see in them a reference to the 
elders of Israel (Ex. iii: 16, xix: 7, xxiv: 1, Num. xi: i6ff, 
etc.), the twelve tribes, (24 = 2x12) the twelve patriarchs 
(sons of Jacob, Gen. xlix), or the twenty-four priestly courses 
(1 Chron. xxiv: 1-19). The only function in which they 
engage is worship (iv: 10, v: 8). Probably the best explana- 
tion is that they represent the twelve tribes of Israel completed 
in the twelve apostles and thus the whole Israel of God, the 
double representation signifying the Jewish and Gentile ele- 
ments then present in the Church. To the Jewish reader or 
hearer the suggestion would be the tribes, patriarchs, or the 
priestly courses ; to the Gentile, the twelve apostles of Christ 
(cf. xxi: 14). Thus the 24 elders may be understood as rep- 
resenting the Church in its totality, but idealized, and there- 
fore robed in white, crowned, and enthroned in the presence of 
God. 



no 



The Revelation of John 



4. Other features of the throne. "And out of the throne 
. . . crystal." As again the seer turns to the throne he 
observes other features of it. 

A. From the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thun- 
ders (cf. viii: 5, xi: 19, xvi: 18). As the law was given to 
Moses at Sinai there was a terrible storm (Ex. xix: 16) and 
the thunder storm in Hebrew poetry is frequently used as a 
concomitant of divine power and glory, (Ps. xviii: 6ff, xxix: 
iff, 1 Sam. ii: 10, Job xxxvii: 4ff). There seems to be no 
special significance attached to these demonstrations other than 
as expressions of Divine majesty. Possibly a great storm was 
raging on Patmos when these visions came to John. 

B. There were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. 
These are not the lamps (At^'ai) of i: 12 but torches 
( Aa/A7ra8e<? ) burning steadily before the throne. Their meaning 
is indicated by saying that they are the seven spirits of God 
(see i: 4 and iii: 1 ). These doubtless represent the Holy Spirit. 

C. What appeared to be a sea of glass was before the throne. 
John sees in front of the throne and its Occupant a vast glassy 
pavement. It was clear as rock-crystal. Often the sea around 
Patmos had appeared as smooth as glass on calm summer days. 
When we remember the high cost of ancient glass and its semi- 
opaque nature, this vast pavement of the clearest glass adds 
much to the magnificence of the scene and consequently to the 
majesty of its Central Figure. 

5. The four living creatures. "And in the midst . 
eyes before and behind." 

A. Probably Ezekiel's vision (Ezek. i: 5ff) is in the author's 
mind though its complexities are largely abandoned. 

B. The exact position of the living creatures is not easy to 
determine, whether inside or outside the circle of the twenty- 
four elders, how distributed around the throne, whether mov- 
ing in rapid gyrations or standing still, etc. Probably the 
simplest and most reasonable view is that one is in front, an- 
other behind, and one at each side of the throne. They were 
probably standing comparatively still as nothing is said to in- 
dicate that they were in motion, while in Ezekiel's vision (i : 14) 
the motion is clearly indicated. A comparison of the expression 
by which their position is indicated— "in the midst of the throne 
and round about the throne,"— with the words describing the 
position of the elders, — "round the throne," — would appear to 



Exposition 



in 



indicate a position between the circle of the elders and the 
throne, as it is not said that the elders were "in the midst of 
the throne." 

C. The living creatures are full of eyes before and behind, 
round about and within (vs. 8). Each has six wings about 
him, though their position and use is not indicated (cf. Isa. 
vi: 2). 

D. In the absence of any indication in the text as to the 
significance of these four living creatures, we can only guess 
at their meaning. Little help can be got from a comparison 
with Ezekiel's vision as there are so many differences in detail, 
though probably in the main they present the same ideas. Prob- 
ably the most reasonable view is that suggested by Prof. C. An- 
derson Scott (Revelation p. 1 58f ) that they are the personifica- 
tion of the forces set in order by the will of God whereby His 
throne is supported, His authority maintained. This view is 
followed to some extent by Prof. H. B. Swete who thinks they 
represent animate 'nature in its different phases, the lion sug- 
gesting what is noblest, the calf or ox (/xdaxos, a young bull), 
what is strongest, the man what is wisest, and the eagle what is 
swiftest. They represent, so Dr. Swete thinks, Creation and 
the Divine Immanence in nature. The eyes set forth the cease- 
less vigilance of nature, or rather of the Divine Power working 
through nature; the wings represent its velocities. 

6. Worship. "And day and night . . . and were creat- 
ed." 

A. These living creatures are continually worshipping God 
th» whole twenty-four hours of each day and seven days a week. 
Animate Nature is continually active and that activity is a 
ceaseless tribute of praise. 

B. Their song of praise is one which recognizes Him as holy, 
all powerful, and eternal. The words have a close analogy to 
those of Isaiah's vision (Isa. vi: 3) but they are not exactly the 
same. 

C. The living creatures are joined in their song of praise by 
the twenty-four elders and the actions of the two are simultane- 
ous, "Nature and the Church must ever unite in praise to 
God." The future tenses of the verbs (Sohtovctiv, irtvovvrai) are 
difficult but not inexplicable. They are in all probability the 
correct readings. The words state the fact as if it were a law. 

D. The tribute of praise offered by the living creatures and 



112 



The Revelation of John 



that given by the elders differ somewhat in detail, while alike 
in spirit and general character. The words of the living crea- 
tures praise Him as holy, omnipotent, and eternal, call Him 
Lord and God, and are brief ; those of the elders are more 
elaborate and praise Him as worthy to receive glory, honor, and 
power, as the Creator of all things according to whose will they 
exist and were created, and by the use of the word "our" 
recognize a personal relationship to Him. As they do this they 
rise from their seats, fall down (probably on their knees) and 
prostrate themselves before the Occupant of the central throne 
in expression of the fullest homage and reverence. This they 
emphasize by casting their crowns before Him and thus pledg- 
ing their fidelity to Him in the very strongest way. These 
crowns were wreaths ( crrecbavovs ) and indicated victory, joy, 
festal gladness, etc., and not crowns signifying royalty (SidSrjfxa) . 
The living creatures ascribe glory, honor, and thanks to the 
Occupant of the throne. Glory ( 8d£av, Hebrew TDD ) refers 
to the outward magnificence, honor (rifiyv) to inherent ex- 
cellence of God, while thanks (evyapivrtav) has in mind His 
gifts and mercy. 

E. The Occupant of the central throne (vs. 4) is thus clearly 
defined. He is worshipped as thrice holy, omnipotent, eternal 
(both as the One who was and is and is to come, and the One 
who lives unto the ages of the ages). He is the One to whom 
glory, honor and power are ascribed and thanks given, the One 
before whom the elders bow in worship and at whose feet they 
lay their crowns of victory and joy, the One by whose will all 
things exist and were created, the One whom the living crea- 
tures recognize as Lord and God and whom the elders worship 
as "our Lord and our God." Such a description as this can 
suit only one Being in the universe and that One can be no 
other than Jehovah, the Supreme God, Creator of heaven and 
earth. 

7. The general significance of this chapter is very plain 
though there may be room for much difference of opinion re- 
garding the meaning of many of the details. The churches 
were grievously oppressed. How could they expect to win out 
in their struggle with the Empire? To human minds it was 
apparently impossible. But these verses show that the Supreme 
Power is not in the earth but in Heaven. It is a glimpse of 
the real Imperial Power which was in Heaven and not that 



Exposition 



113 



earthly caricature of it which the Empire presented. When the 
veil is drawn and a true view of the real nature of the situation 
can be gained, it is plain that the real Sovereign and Ruler is 
God who has created all things and by whose will they exist. 
He is the Person of matchless excellence and to Him heaven 
and earth give fealty and praise. The picture is one of match- 
less splendor. Some of the details, such as the sea of glass, ap- 
pear to be added to give color to it and not to represent any- 
thing in particular. The encouragement and hope which such 
a revelation as this would inspire in the Asian churches, engaged 
in a life and death struggle with the political power, and per- 
secuted even unto the death, must have been great indeed. 



XIII 



The Sealed Book and the Lamb. V: 1-14. 

1. The sealed book. "And I saw . . . with seven seals." 

A. In this chapter we have a continuation of the description 
begun in the previous chapter. John again looks at the central 
throne and its Occupant, and observes in His hand a book or 
roll sealed down with seven seals, the contents of which were so 
abundant that they not only filled the inside but overflowed to 
the reverse. The roll is not offered to John to read, nor to 
anyone else. 

B. What is this sealed roll or book? The idea is apparently 
based on Ezek. ii: 9. Various suggestions have been offered as 
to its meaning. Several ancient expositors held it to be the Old 
Testament, unsealed by the coming and teaching of Christ 
or the allegorical interpretation of Scripture, but such a view is 
inconsistent with the process of opening the seals given in ch. 
vi and vii. There are several things that indicate its true 
significance. First. There is the fact that it is a sealed book, 
sealed with seven seals, i. e. completely, which no one in heaven, 
upon earth, or under the earth is able to open nor even to look 
upon. Second. It is in the hand of God. Third. Christ is able 
to open it (vs. 5ff and notes). Fourth. There is the purpose of 
the Apocalypse, "to show to His servants what must quickly 
come to pass" (i: 1) and "the things that shall be hereafter" 
(i: 19). Fifth. The events that accompany the opening of the 
seals are manifestly symbolic and their character is such that it 
cannot be discerned until the events actually take place; Sixth. 
To the Christians of the province of Asia there would be one 
thing that could be considered as pre-eminently a sealed book 
and that was the future. How they and the Church would fare 
was to them the problem of greatest urgency, most intense in- 
terest, and highest importance. These considerations would 
appear to point to only one interpretation. The sealed book is 
the book of the future, the Book of Destiny and a moment's 
thought shows how well such a view meets the conditions. No 
one in heaven or earth or under the earth could decipher the 
future before hand for it is in the hand of God, and only the 



114 



Exposition 



115 



one whom He equips for the purpose and appoints to the task 
can discharge that duty, and Christ is such an one, par excellence. 
The Apocalypse, claiming to be "The revelation of Jesus Christ, 
which God gave to him, to show to His servants what must 
quickly come to pass (i: 1)," is an authoritative and reliable 
account of what the future has in store for the suffering Asian 
churches and therefore able to meet its need at this time as noth- 
ing else could. 

2. The book unopened. "I saw a strong angel ... to 
look on it." 

A. The challenge is issued by a strong angel, and as the chal- 
lenge is addressed to the whole universe a strong angel is needed. 
It is worthiness (a£ios), not strength, that is required for the 
task. 

B. There is no response to the challenge. Nowhere is there 
anyone who dares to attempt such a task. The reason is mani- 
fest if the interpretation of the book given above is accepted. 
No one is able to look on it. None could consider, much less 
attempt to unfold the future. 

C. John evidently perceives clearly the nature of the sealed 
book. He weeps much as no one appears to open it. If it is 
unopened he will have no message regarding the future to give 
to his suffering fellow-Christians and the promise of the voice 
that bade him "ascend hither" in iv: 1 will be unfulfilled. He 
knew the times were troublous and the future uncertain and 
terrible. In these awful days when political conditions were 
bad in the extreme, when religion and morals were vile and 
every indication pointed to the extinction of the Christians, any 
serious person might weep as he contemplated the future. No 
wonder then that John weeps when no one is found able to 
unfold the future and guide him and his suffering fellow-Chris- 
tians through the evil time. 

3. One found able to open it. "And one of the elders 
. . . throne." 

A. John continues to weep profusely (e/cAatov iroXv) until 
he is bidden to refrain from doing so by one of the elders. Here 
and in vii: 13 the fact that the elder speaks appears to have no 
symbolic significance beyond enriching the color and details of 
the picture. 

B. The command to desist from his weeping is accompanied 
by an explanation which shows it to be unnecessary. The Lion 



n6 



The Revelation of John 



of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has overcome to open 
the book and its seven seals. John looks and sees in the circle 
of the throne, living creatures, and elders, though its position is 
not more definitely indicated, not a lion but a lamb standing 
as if slain, but apparently alive, and possessing seven horns and 
seven eyes. He takes the book from the hand of Him who sat 
on the throne. 

C. Who is this creature? What could be described fairly 
as at once the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David and 
a lamb standing as if slaughtered. As we meditate upon the 
picture it is plain that only One Person can meet its require- 
ments and that One is Jesus Christ. First. He belonged to 
the tribe of Judah (Luke iii: 33) which was spoken of as the 
lion of the tribes in the Blessing of Jacob (Gen. xlix: 9), and 
of all the noble sons of that tribe none were as noble and ex- 
cellent as He and none therefore as worthy of the name. Second. 
Jesus was also of the tribe and lineage of David (Luke iii: 31) ; 
the words of the passage are evidently based on Isa. xi: 1. The 
stump of the old Davidic tree has sent forth a new shoot, its 
finest and best. Third. Jesus would be familiar to the Chris- 
tians of that time also as a Lamb (John i: 29, 36, Acts viii: 32, 
1 Pet. i: 19 and especially Isa. liii: 7 to which the Apocalyptist's 
thought doubtless goes back). He had been slain and yet was 
alive. Fourth. In verse 9 the Lamb is praised by the great 
heavenly host not only because He was slain but because of His 
redemptive work. This fourfold requirement Christ meets, and 
we know of no other whose name would be familiar to the 
Christians of the Seven Cities of Asia and the church in the 
province generally who could meet them fairly in any sense, 
a striking contrast, but it suggests the unique combination of 
majesty and meekness that characterized Christ. This Lamb 
though He has been slain has overcome. In spite of all the 
features in the picture of Him that suggest weakness, submis- 
sion, obedience, meekness, death, there is left on our minds the 
suggestion of extraordinary strength. He is a Lion and a Root. 
The Lamb has seven horns, the symbol of perfect strength and 
the indication of the completeness of His strength as the Vic- 
torious Christ (cf. Matt, xxviii: 18, John xvii: 2). The horn 
is an old Hebrew figure for strength and is found frequently 
with that sense in the earlier books of the Old Testament (e. 
g. Deut. xxxiii: 17, 1 Sam. ii: 1, 10, 1 Kings xxii: 11, Ps. 



Exposition 



117 



xviii: 2, cxii : 9), but in the later books sometimes it signifies 
political or military power (e. g. Zech. i: 21, Dan. vii: 7ft, 
viii: 3ff). The Lamb has also seven eyes which are interpreted 
as the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. With 
perfection of strength He also possesses perfection of vision 
symbolized by the seven eyes. In ch. iv : 5 the spirit of God is 
represented by the seven lamps; as lamps they are stationary, 
while as eyes they have a mission in all the earth. The reference 
is no doubt to Zech. iii: 9 and iv: 10. The penetrating power 
of the eyes of Christ is indicated in ch. i: 14, ii: 18. 

D. Here then we have Christ represented by an extraordinary 
combination of symbols, which could be fairly used in combina- 
tion of none other. Although the combination is one that ex- 
hibits many varied aspects it yet leaves upon our mind the im- 
pression of Him as a remarkable and extraordinary Being, re- 
markable for strength and prowess which He achieves even 
through meekness and death. Little wonder that the language, 
even of an inspired man seems inadequate to describe such a 
scene and such a Person. 

4. The burst of praise. "And when he took the book 
. . . for ever and ever/' Vs. 8-13. 

A. When Christ takes the book the representatives of the 
animal world and of the universal Church fall before Him. 
Each elder is now seen to have a harp and golden bowls. Prob- 
ably the living creatures did not have any, for while the words 
(e£oi/re? e/caoTos) might include them it is hardly befitting that 
the living creatures should be connected with the prayers of 
saints. The harp was the common instrument of praise in Old 
Testament times (Ps. xxxiii: 2, xcviii: 5, cxlvii: 7, cl: 3, 2 
Sam. vi: 5, 1 Chron. xxv: 3, etc.). The golden bowls were 
full of incense, which is clearly indicated as symbolical by the 
remark that it is the prayers of saints. Incense was an adjunct 
of worship among the Jews in Old Testament times (Ex. 
xxxvii: 29) and was therefore intimately connected with prayer 
(Ps. cxli: 2). As the elders represent the Church it is fitting 
that they should have the harps and offer the incense, thus 
symbolizing the Church's tribute of praise and prayer to Christ 
as indicated by the harps and incense respectively. 

B. They sing a new song (cf. Isa. xlii: 10, Ps. xxxiii: 3, 
xl: 3, xcvi: 1, xcviii: 1, etc.). "Originally denoting only a 
fresh song of praise the phrase lent itself especially to songs 



n8 



The Revelation of John 



composed for great occasions. . . . In the Apocalypse it is 
appropriately used for the Church's praise of redemption" (cf. 
xiv: 3) (Swete, Apocalypse p. 80, who says, further, that 
it answers the new name of ii: 17 and iii: 12, the New Jerusa- 
lem of iii: 12 and xxi: 2, the new heaven and new earth of xxi: 
1 and all things new of xxi: 5, of the great Christian prophecy). 

C. Christ is recognized by the elders as possessing that abso- 
lute worthiness which qualifies Him to take the Book of Des- 
tiny and open its seals. His worthiness is due, according to 
their song, to His death and what He accomplished by it. He 
was slain, and the word {ka^dy^) is used of the death of 
Christ only in this book (where it occurs in v: 6, 9, 12 and 
xiii: 8), but it is interesting to find that it is used also by our 
author of those who have been slain in martyrdom in the 
churches of Asia (vi: 9, xviii: 24). The redemption is spoken 
of as* a purchase, a description of it that would be familiar from 
the use of the term in 1 Cor. vi: 20, vii: 23, 2 Pet. ii: 1 and a 
compound of it in Gal. iii: 13 and iv: 5. The purchase was 
made by means of His blood, (or at the price of His blood) and 
it was to God and was from every tribe without exception of, 
race, language, or people, elevating those redeemed individually 
to be His priests, and as a body to be His Kingdom (cf. i: 6 
and xx : 6), and already they reign on the earth. The tense of 
the verb here (/3a<7tAei>owiv) is doubtful, the most important 
manuscripts fluctuating between the present and the future. 
Here probably we should choose the present (and more difficult 
reading), as do Westcott and Hort as well as Swete, though we 
have the future in xx: 6 and xxii: 5. Those whom He has 
redeemed actually rule now on earth. 

D. With vs. 11 a new feature of the vision appears. A vast 
crowd of angels appears in the circle of the throne, living crea- 
tures, and elders. Their vast number, — myriads of myriads and 
thousands of thousands, — would seem to require a position out- 
side the circle of the living creatures, and elders, though there 
is nothing to indicate more exactly just where they are. Nor 
are we told whether their words were spoken contemporane- 
ously with those of the elders and the living creatures or other- 
wise, though the fact that John hears them so distinctly and 
mentions them after the others would suggest that their words 
of praise were spoken after those of the elders. The numerical 
description is apparently based on Dan. vii: 10 (cf. Deut. 



Exposition 



119 



Kxxiii: 2, Ps. lxviii: 17). The sound is a great voice (<f><Dvr)) 
and is a shout rather than a song; the host of angels merely 
acclaim the Lamb as worthy to receive power (8wa/xtv), wealth 
(ttXovtov) , wisdom {ao^tav) , strength (tax^v) , honor (r^v), 
glory (So£av), and praise (evAoyiav), referring to Him as "the 
Lamb that was slain." The united praise of the living crea- 
tures and elders is called a song and harps are mentioned. But 
if it is only a shout of acclamation the attributes which it as- 
cribes to Him form a complete heptad and thus suggest that 
nothing is wanting. 

E. Still other sounds he hears and recognizes clearly though 
apparently he does not see the source from which they come. 
Their source is the whole of creation — every creature in heaven, 
earth, hades, and the sea, forming a gathering that is no longer 
representative, but takes in everything, animate and inanimate, 
in all departments of creation. Of the four attributes three 
are the same as those of the angels acclaim in vs. 12, while the 
fourth substitutes another word for strength (Kpdros instead of 
laxvs) and in addition there is the intimation that this is not 
merely for a time but forever. 

5. The Amen. "And the four . . . worshipped." Vs. 
14. It would appear that this stage of the proceedings is con- 
cluded with the word "Amen" from the four beasts who had 
begun the series of utterances. But after their closing word is 
a final act of homage on the part of the elders. 

6. The general significance of this section is now very plain. 
The book sealed with seven seals in the hand of God is the Book 
of Destiny, the book of the future so completely closed that no 
one can open it but Christ who alone is worthy, and whom all 
creation acknowledges because He has redeemed the Church 
by His death. To the Christians of Asia this would be again 
a source of comfort and help. It was not to the emperor of 
Rome or his power that they must look and trust for the future, 
but to Christ who alone, as God's chosen, could enable them 
to face it with confidence, and even though they might have 
suffering and death to meet, yet with Him to lead them they 
would be safe whatever came. 



XIV 



. The Unsealing of the Book. The Opening of the First Six 
Seals. Vi: 1-17. 

The Book of Destiny is now in the hand of Christ who pro- 
ceeds to break the seals one by one, the opening of each being 
followed by some remarkable and significant appearance. The 
first four seal-openings form a series in themselves (vs. 1-8) ; 
the opening of each is accompanied by the word "Come" uttered 
in thunder tones by one of the living creatures, and this is 
followed in each case by a horse and rider, the meaning of which 
is suggested but not definitely given. This word "Come" 
(epxov) has generally been understood as addressed to John, 
and therefore some texts have added the words "and see" 
(kol i8e) but if this were the case we would expect first, the 
word Sevpo (hither, come) instead of epx ov an( l second, some 
indication that John changed his position, neither of which we 
have. Probably also the seer bases his picture here on Zech. 
vi: iff. 

1. The opening of the first seal. "And I saw . . . con- 
quer." 

A. In the first seal the horse is white, his rider carries a bow 
and has received a crown, (are^a^o?, wreath of victory) ; it is 
to be specially noted that he goes forth as a conqueror and with 
the purpose of making further conquests ( \va viKYjcrj not (OS 

VLK7J<J(i)V ) . 

B. There has been a strong tendency among interpreters to 
identify this rider with the one in ch. xix: 11 if whose name is 
called "The Word of God," but the two have so little in com- 
mon that this is impossible, the color of the horse being the only 
common feature. There we have a picture of the victorious 
Christ, but it seems too soon to present Christ here as a con- 
queror especially as He has been presented just before as a lamb 
that had been slain. The bow, however, marks the distinctive 
character of the symbol as Parthian. The Romans never adopt- 
ed the bow as a weapon of war and it was not used except by a 
few auxiliaries levied among tribes that used it as their weapon. 
But it was the weapon of the Parthians who were such expert 

120 



Exposition 



121 



horsemen that they could use it as well when they were re- 
treating as when they were advancing. They were such a 
terror in the east that their incursions were continually dreaded. 
So much was this the case that in A. D. 115 the emperor 
Trajan undertook a war against them. Another important 
feature was the color. The Parthian conqueror rides a white 
horse. White was the sacred color of the old Persians for 
whom the Parthians stood in later times, and sacred white 
horses always accompanied the Persian army. In the Roman 
triumphal procession the victorious general did not ride a white 
horse but was seated in a four horse car wearing, not the white 
toga but the purple and gold embroidered robes of Jupiter. 
Yet white was the color of victory and the horses that drew 
the quadriga (4 horse car) were sometimes white. Swete, 
Apoc. 86 and Ramsay, Letters 58). 

C. It is clear then that the picture is one of a Parthian king 
or warrior, but what does it signify? The whole picture sug- 
gests invasion or conquest. The crown, bow, the spirit and 
purpose of the rider, — conquering and to conquer, — all indicate 
this, as well as the fact that the Parthians at this time were the 
dreaded conquerors on the east. But there are still two ways 
in which the picture may be understood ; first, it may be a pic- 
ture of the Empire outwardly victorious like the Parthian war- 
riors, filled with the thirst for victory and with many victories 
already achieved. Or second, it may be the Empire as a victim 
of the spirit of conquest by the Parthians or others. The first 
of these we may discard because the next three seal openings 
do not fit it well and more especially because there is so little 
in the symbol itself that appears to be distinctly Roman. If it 
were desired to picture Rome as a conquering power the more 
natural representation would be a triumphal scene in Rome — 
a victorious general clad in the robes of Jupiter, seated in the 
four horse car drawn by white horses with perhaps some con- 
quered kings chained to the chariot behind which they were 
forced to walk. We are therefore left with the second as the 
more likely interpretation. The symbol then pictures the Em- 
pire as attacked by outside powers flushed by victories already 
achieved against it and bent on further successes. And while 
the conqueror is pictured as a Parthian it is not necessary to 
think that they only are attacking the Empire. Indeed it may 
be that the meaning intended is that the Empire is beset by 



122 



The Revelation of John 



outside tribes bent on conquest and that the Parthians are not 
one of these. This however is not likely, the most reasonable 
interpretation is that the Parthian warrior represents a con- 
siderable array of outside military forces of which the Parthians 
were the chief and most characteristic, successfully attacking the 
Empire and bent on further conquest. The reason for viewing 
the Empire as the object of attack will appear later. 

2. The opening of the second seal. "And when . . . 
a great sword was given to him. ,, 

A. As the first rider vanishes a second rider goes forth; this 
time his horse is blood red (wppo?). He possesses a great 
sword and has power to plunge the earth into war. The sword 
here mentioned {fxd^aipa) may be either a knife carried in a 
sheath at the girdle (cf. John xviii: 10, n) or a sword for use 
in war. The fact that this rider has power to take peace from 
the earth and incite to slaughter indicates that his sword is of 
the latter variety. 

B. The significance of this picture is plain. It can reason- 
ably be understood only as a picture of War and perhaps Civil 
War. Victory and Conquest look very beautiful as they go 
forth but they bear a different aspect when we view them from 
the field of battle. The Empire was engaged in continuous war- 
fare from the early days of its existence until long after the first 
Christian century and only twice was it at peace in this long 
period. First in the early days, and secondly when Christ was 
born ; and these wars were of all classes. 

3. The opening of the third seaL "And when he opened 
. . . injure not." 

A. With the opening of the third seal another horse goes 
forth, this time black in color. The rider carries the beam of 
a pair of scales. A voice is heard proclaiming "A measure of 
wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; 
and the oil and the wine injure not." The word measure 
(xotvi£) here means a measure of about one and a half or two 
pints, a slave's daily ration of corn, and enough for a day's pro- 
vision for a man of moderate appetite. The penny (hrjvdpiov) 
was a silver coin worth d. or 16 2-3 cts. of our money and 
was an average wage for a day laborer. This means that food 
was to be at famine prices. There were luxuries, oil and wine, 
which were not to be touched, a fact which would make the 
scarcity all the more severe. 



Exposition 



123 



B. The meaning of this also is so plain that no comment is 
needed to decipher it. We have here a picture of famine that is 
severe and intensified by aggravated conditions. 

4. The opening of the fourth seal. "And when . . . 
beasts of the earth." 

A. The fourth seal is opened and a fourth horse goes forth, 
this time of a pale yellowish color, bearing a rider whose name 
is Death. He is accompanied by Hades (6 aSrjs the abode of 
the dead, the grave), but we are not told whether on foot, on 
the same horse, or on another horse. To these two is given 
the power to visit a quarter of the earth with death in various 
forms. Their power is much more extensive than that of any 
of their predecessors; their sphere of operations is large. 

B. The significance of the symbol is easily seen. It pictures 
the usual accompaniments of war and famine, in which Death 
is busy in various forms and the grave receives a rich harvest. 
These forms are indicated as four; the sword ('pofx^ata) , 
famine (At^w), death (©aWrw, which here probably means 
death by disease or plague), and by the wild beasts (©epuov). 
These suggest the forms of depopulation that follow upon war, 
famine, pestilence, and the encroachment of wild beasts, and 
thus are specially suitable to the context. Possibly the writer 
has in mind the four sore judgments of Ezek. xiv: 21. This 
seal-opening may then be described as signifying plague or 
pestilence. 

5. The fifth seal is opened. "And when . . . com- 
pleted." 

A. An altar now for the first time appears in the scene and 
under it the souls of those who have died by persecution on 
account of their faith. Their suffering is aggravated by the 
fact that God seems to let it pass unavenged. They are robed 
in white and counselled to rest for a little time until the dark 
hour is past. 

B. The symbol of the altar and the souls beneath it appears 
to be based on Levitical rites. The altar suggests sacrifice and 
the victims are those who have been put to death because of their 
faithfulness. Their souls are "under the altar;" in the Leviti- 
cal rite the blood was looked upon as the life or soul (Lev. 
xvii: 11, cf. Gen. ix: 4), and in the sacrifices the blood was 
poured out at the foot of the altar (Lev. iv: 7). They had been 
slain because of "the word of God and the witness which they 



124 



The Revelation of John 



had." This phrase occurs with slight variations in ch. i: 9, 
xii: II, 17, xix: 10, xx: 4. The repetition of the preposition 
(8tct) would suggest a distinction between these phrases, and in 
that case the former would indicate the God-ward side of their 
faith and the latter the man-ward side, — on the one side faith 
and loyalty to God, on the other activity in bearing testimony to 
the world. Polycarp (Mart. 9) was required to meet a double 
test; first, recognize Caesar; and second, curse Christ. The 
sacrificed lives of the martyrs are a strong demand for avenge- 
ment on the pagan world from God, whom they call Lord 
(ScoTroT???), and address as holy and true. Of the present con- 
dition of the martyrs it is to be noted ; first, they have each in- 
dividually (ckclo-tw) received a white robe, the symbol, appar- 
ently, of purity and victory (cf. iii: 4f, iv: 4, vii: 9, 1 3f , xix: 
14). Second, they are told to be at rest a little while until the 
number of their fellowservants and brethren is complete. This 
number is to include both their fellowservants, (i. e. their fel- 
low-Christians generally), and the rest of the martyrs, who are 
described here as their brethren. 

C. The significance of this seal-opening is plainly Martyr- 
dom, or Persecution further aggravated by the fact that there 
seems to be no sign of interest in their sufferings on the part of 
God. 

6. The sixth seal is opened. "And I saw . . . able to 
stand." Vs. 12-17. 

A. As the sixth seal is opened John observes a series of up- 
heavals in nature at which the people of the world are smitten 
with terror. These words bear a striking analogy to those of 
Jesus in (Mark xiii: 24, 25, cf. Matt, xxiv: 29). 

B. Of phenomena in nature several are mentioned. A great 
earthquake takes place. The people of Asia knew well the ter- 
rors of such events and again and again they had suffered from 
them. The darkening of the sun would be caused by an eclipse, 
but the people of that day, entirely ignorant of scientific phe- 
nomena, would look upon it as a direful omen. The discolora- 
tion of the moon might be due to atmospheric conditions. The 
falling of the stars was like a meteoric shower which, to ignor- 
ant people of that day, would be an event inspiring terror in 
its beholders. The heavens seemed to part and roll up. Under 
some circumstances the sweeping of storm clouds over the sky 
might produce an appearance of this sort. The moving of the 



Exposition 



125 



mountains and islands sometimes occurred. But while these 
phenomena or what looked like them doubtless appeared fre- 
quently in nature the words indicate a continuation of them 
unparalleled in its severity, and such as had never before been 
experienced. The result is that all classes of the earths in- 
habitants are smitten with fear beyond description. Seven 
conditions of life are named covering the whole fabric of human 
society, kings, magnates, chief captains, rich men, strong men, 
slaves, and free men, all of whom flee to the mountains and 
desire to be hidden by them from the wrath of God and Christ 
because they know that the day of judgment has arrived. The 
kings of the earth are the rulers of states inimical to Christ, 
especially the Caesars. The magnates are those high in authority 
generally in the world. The chief captains are those high in 
authority in the army. These three classes are all classes of 
people in authority. But their high position will not save them 
from terror in the presence of God and His Son. Those who 
possess wealth and physical strength will likewise find no im- 
munity from fear. Also slaves and free men, those separated 
by the deepest class distinction in ancient life, will huddle to- 
gether in their efforts to escape the just judgments of God. 
Pictures like this are common in apocalyptical descriptions of 
the last day (e. g. Assumption of Moses x: 5f and cf. Joel 
ii:3i). 

C. How are we to understand this? A discussion of the 
whole seven seal-openings is needed to show its exact meaning 
and significance. But for the present let us bear in mind that 
it is symbolic, and evidently indicates conditions or events that 
inspire to great fear and to the conviction that a day of judg- 
ment was at hand. There have been times in history when the 
conscience of men led them to believe in the imminence of 
approaching judgment. The significance of this seal-opening 
is then, Portents of Judgment. 

7. Before the book is entirely opened there is a stay in the 
proceedings to permit the sealing of the servants of God. This 
will be the subject of the next section, 

8. The seventh seal is opened. Viii: 1, but as only an half- 
hour's silence follows it we need not stop to discuss it further 
at present. 

9. The question that now presses for an answer is; what is 
the significance of these seal openings, and to that we must give 



126 



The Revelation of John 



our attention. 

A. We must remember in the first place that they cannot be 
the contents of the Book of Destiny in the hand of the Lamb 
as the book is written within and on the back side and cannot 
be opened until the seven seals are all broken. 

B. While it is plain that the seal openings and the phenomena 
following them are symbolical we are not left entirely without 
indications as to what they signify. The first of these that we 
note is in vs. 4 "to take peace from the earth" Then in vs. 8 
"over the fourth of the earth to kill with sword and with 
hunger and with death and by the wild beasts of the earth" 
In vs. 9-1 1 the picture is one of persecution and martyrdom. 
He sees the souls, "of those slain for the word of God *and for 
the witness which they had," and he hears them enquire "How 
long . . . dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on 
those that dwell on the earth?" It is plain then that those who 
dwell on the earth are the persecutors and those persecuted 
"for the word of God and for the witness which they had," 
must be also "on the earth." This is confirmed by the words 
of vs. 1 1 "until their fellow-servants and their brethren who 
were to be killed as they also were, should be completed." 
Furthermore, the phenomena described in verses 12 and 13 
were such as individually were often seen in the world, while 
the people mentioned in vs. 15 are all "of the earth." We 
notice furthermore that while the whole scene is represented as 
in heaven (iv: 1) yet the phenomena that appear as following 
the seal openings are almost always such as were more or less 
familiar to human beings, e. g. the rider and his bow (vs. 2), 
and the rider with his sword (vs. 4), the rider with the weigh 
beam (vs. 5), the accompanied rider (vs. 8), the wheat, barley, 
oil, wine, and denarius (vs. 6), the sword, famine, death, and 
beasts (vs. 8), the altar, the word of God, testimony, and mar- 
tyrdom (vs. 9), impatience or anxiety and avengement (vs. 10), 
the white robes, the intimation to wait, and the further reference 
to martyrdom (vs. 11), the earthquake, sun and moon (vs. 12), 
the stars (vs. 13), mountain, island, and sky (vs. 14), different 
classes of people (vs. 15), and their terror (vs. 16), etc. 

C. Of course there is much that is not familiar and natural, 
such as the very figure of a sealed book given to a lamb; the 
beasts and their weird call "Come" four times repeated; the 
four riders on different colored horses following one another, 



Exposition 



127 



and in some cases at least, the powers ascribed to them; souls 
under the altar, and their cry, attire, etc. ; the awful combina- 
tion of natural phenomena following the opening of the sixth 
seal, etc. But we must remember that we are dealing with an 
apocalypse and this is the ordinary style of such writings. We 
may ascribe such extraordinary and unnatural pictures then to 
the literary character of the book and look upon them as in some 
degree at least the scenery and clothing in which the writer 
presents his message. It is true they are apt to confuse the 
modern interpreter but we may be sure that they did not ob- 
scure the message to its readers and hearers in the first century. 
They served two valuable purposes also, first, they effectively 
obscured the writer's meaning from the enemies of the Church, 
and second, they added much to the impressiveness of the mes- 
sage to the Church. 

D. There is one verse, however, that apparently points with 
unmistakable clearness to the true interpretation, i. e. vs. 17, 
"because the great day of their wrath has come and who is able 
to stand?" In our endeavor to understand these words let us 
remember that the book is not yet open for the seventh seal has 
not yet been loosed but these words occur after the sixth seal is 
opened. The words are plain and definite. They evidently 
mean the day of divine judgment — that day, "has come, and 
who is able to stand?" The reference must plainly be to the 
events in the immediate future. But if the seals refer to the 
Empire, — Babylon- — her judgment is not depicted till we reach 
chapter xvii : 1 , though in xiv : 8 her fall is announced. As the 
Book of Destiny is yet unopened, and the judgment is not de- 
scribed until a much later chapter; and further, as the whole 
sequence of the book would be spoiled by bringing that judg- 
ment in here we must conclude that the words of verse 17 are 
an intimation that those who speak them are convinced that 
the time of judgment is at hand though they have not yet entered 
it, not even its first stages for the earth is not to be hurt until 
the servants of God have been sealed (vii: 3). But things have 
come to a pass that forces the belief that the great day of the 
wrath of God is at hand. 

E. The way is now cleared so that we may see what the seals 
do really signify. While the vision is in heaven it relates to 
things on earth (iv: 1 ), — that shall be hereafter. God has been 
shown as supreme in chapter iv and Christ as the One to whom 



128 



The Revelation of John 



the future is entrusted in the world in chapter v. Now in 
chapter vi we begin to see things on the earth. The seals clearly 
refer to contemporary circumstances and events. Invasion, war, 
famine, plague, persecution, were happening every day in some 
part of the Empire and could not be ignored. Those to whom 
John wrote were very familiar with them. They knew of the 
Parthian terror, and of the horrors of war, famine, pestilence, 
and earthquakes, while they felt keenly the pains of persecution. 
These things, with continually recurring convulsions of nature, 
led to the common belief that the time of divine vengeance had 
come. The Jews believed that the age would conclude with 
terrible upheavals of nature, and Jesus prophesied that before 
His coming there should appear extraordinary phenomena in 
the heavens, while the book of Acts and the epistles of St. 
Paul have much to say on the same subject. 

F. The opening of the seals, then, is a revelation of the actual 
condition of the Empire as it is unfolded to the seer in Patmos, 
a condition which is really the very opposite of what it seemed 
to be in that day. Outwardly the Empire seemed to be su- 
preme, victorious, and able to maintain itself for the future 
against any enemies that might arise, but really it was beset by 
many disintegrating forces which were making heavy inroads on 
its strength. Upon it is to come very soon the abundant wrath 
and judgment of God. The Church, too, is really triumphant 
and victorious though beset by such severe persecution that the 
future seems to have little hope. The encouragement and 
hope that this would inspire in the poor persecuted Christians 
of Asia must have been great indeed. 



XV 



Safety and Blessedness of the Servants of God. Chapter 
vii: 1-17. 

1. The sixth chapter closes with a picture of the inhabitants 
of the world smitten with terror as they are forced to the con- 
viction that the day of divine judgment is at hand. But the 
question will naturally arise as to what is to be the fortune of 
the people of God in that time. To this question the seventh 
chapter gives the answer. 

2. The first vision. "After this I saw . . . twelve 
thousand were sealed. " Vs. 1-8. 

A. The earth is ripe for the blasts of judgment. It is re- 
garded as quadrangular and an angel stands at each of its four 
corners holding back the winds so that all outbreaks of their 
fury may be prevented till the proper time. Another angel 
ascends from the sunrising, i. e. the east, having the seal of the 
living God, and he calls out to them to do no injury to the 
earth until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. 
This is done and John hears that 144,000 are sealed of all the 
tribes of the Israelites. Strange to say the tribe of Dan is 
omitted from this list, but the tribe of Manasseh (who is not 
given as one of the sons of Jacob in the list in Gen. xxxv: 22S) 
is inserted so that we have twelve tribes still given. The most 
probable reason for the omission is found in a Rabbinical tra- 
dition that the Messiah was to arise out of the tribe of Judah 
but the Anti-Messiah ("Antichrist") from the tribe of Dan, 
and this opinion became so strong that some Rabbis denied this 
tribe any share in Israel's future glories. The tribe of Dan was 
associated in Rabbinical writings with idolatry and apostasy, 
perhaps because of the narrative in Judges viii, or a misunder- 
standing of Gen. xlix: 17, while there was a late Christian tra- 
dition that the Antichrist should belong to this tribe. Probably, 
however we should regard the variation as of no consequence in 
view of the frequent variations in the lists of tribes. The names 
and number of the tribes varies considerably in the different 
lists as found in Gen. xxix — xxxv, xlvi, xlix, Ex. i, Num. i: 
1-15, i: 2off, ii — x, xiii, xxvi, xxxiv, Deut. xxvii, xxxiii, Josh, 
xiiiff. Judges v, Ezek. xlviii, 1 Chron, ii: 1-2, ii: 3 — viii, xii, 

129 



130 



The Revelation of John 



xxvii, Rev. vii. Here we have twenty lists, all different. These 
lists are all given in a tabulated form in Hasting's D. B. IV, 
p. 811. The chief reason for putting Judah first in the list in 
our text would seem to be that it was the tribe from which 
Christ came. The insertion of Manasseh was necessary to make 
up the twelve, and Manasseh was chosen apparently because 
he was one of the two grandsons of Jacob that gave their names 
to tribes. 

B. The general significance of the passage is plain. It is, that 
provision is made specially for the servants of God so that they 
will be safe whatever may happen. The outpouring of Judg- 
ment is not permitted until this is done. This idea of sealing 
would be very suggestive to those familiar with the Old Testa- 
ment who would recall how Cain was marked lest anyone meet- 
ing him should kill him (Gen. iv: 15) and how in Ezekiel's 
vision (ix: 1-11) those who were marked escaped. The idea 
of a sealing doubtless was familiar to John's readers from its 
frequent mention in the books of the New Testament (see 2 
Cor. i: 22, Eph. i: 13, John vi: 27, 2 Tim. ii: 19). The mark 
on their forehead became a guarantee of their safety in the day 
of judgment. They possessed a life that the forces of judgment 
could not destroy. There has been considerable discussion as to 
whether the apocalyptist intends the 144,000 sealed Israelites 
to include merely the elect of Israel, (cf. Rom. xi: 5), the 
Jewish Christians (as Victorinus), or the whole number of the 
faithful, (as Primasius and Bede). In verse 4 it is distinctlv 
stated that the 144,000 sealed are from "every tribe of the chil- 
dren of Israel," and the names of the tribes follow, while the 
vision of vs. 9-17 mentions distinctly "a great crowd, which no 
one could number, of every nation and all tribes and peoples 
and tongues." We must remember however — first, that there 
is a tendency in this book to regard the Church as the real 
Israel (cf. e. g. ii: 9, iii: gS) and second, that the same number 
is used in ch. xiv: 1, 3, for those who follow the Lamb, and 
nothing is said as to whether they are Jews or not, while third, 
none are sealed but the 144,000 of Israel. If others were 
sealed and the writer wished to distinguish them from the 
Israelites he could easily have done so. These considerations 
seem to make only one conclusion possible; the twelve tribes 
of the children of Israel, and the 144,000 represent or symbolize 
the whole body of Christ's people; of that day. The two num- 



Exposition 



131 



bers, twelve and one hundred and forty-four thousand signify- 
ing completeness. There has also been much discussion as to 
what the sealing actually meant. It could not be preservation 
from physical evil as many of the Christians suffer greatly in 
the judgments that follow, (cf. xi: yft, xiii: 15-17, xiv: 13, 
kvi: 6, xviii: 24). It seems plain that it did protect them from 
spiritual evil, or any real harm in their inner nature and true 
selves, either from the judgments of God on the evil world or 
from the activities of Satanic agents. They however, must do 
their part and remain faithful to Christ to continue to profit 
from this protection (iii: 10). In ix: 4, 5, we find that the 
swarm of locusts do not injure those sealed. It would seem 
(cf. notes on ix: 4, 5) that the locusts are Satanic agencies at 
work in the world whose king is Satan (ix: 11). 

3. The great multitude. " After . . . tear from their 
eyes." Vs. 9-17. 

A. While only the elders, living creatures, and angels hither- 
to have been seen in the presence of the Throne the seer now 
observes a great polyglot multitude there worshipping and prais- 
ing God. They have come out of the great tribulation and 
have been redeemed by Christ. 

B. The great multitude may be a reflection of the vast 
crowds that followed Christ in the days of His flesh (Mark 
iv: 1, v: 21, 24, Luke xii: 1, John vi: 2, xii: 9, 12) and there 
may be also an allusion to Gen. xv: 5 and xxxii: 12 (cf. Heb. 
xi: 12, and see also Gal. iii: 7, 8). The reference to all peoples 
of the world is a common one in this book, (cf. v: 9, xi: 9, 
xiii: 7, xiv: 6, xvii: 15). Palm branches were regarded as 
suitable for any occasion of joy or triumph; they were in evi- 
dence in Jesus' triumphal entry (John xii: 13). This great 
multitude, robed in white and bearing palm branches shouts its 
praise to God. The key note of this is in the word salvation 
(a-wTT/pta, cf. xii: 10 and xix: 1) and those who raise the song 
have all experienced the great deliverance which they ascribe 
to God and the Lamb (vs. 14). The cities of Asia frequently 
gave the title of Saviour (^wrrjp) to the emperors but in the 
opinion of the Christians only God and Christ were worthy of 
the title (cf. 1 Tim. i: 1, ii: 3, Titus i: 3, 4, ii: 13, iii: 4, 6, 
John iv: 22, Acts iv: 12). This acclaim is endorsed by the 
angels who worship and add their doxology of praise as well 
(vs. 11, 12). Their exact position is not stated, but they form 



132 



The Revelation of John 



a circle about the throne, and are probably identical with those 
of chapter v: n. They address the Occupant of the throne 
whom they call their God (vs. 12) as did the great multitude 
(vs. 10). They do not include the Lamb however. They 
ascribe a seven fold tribute to Him (and each feature is em- 
phasized by the article as in v: 12), but although each of its 
elements has occurred in previous doxologies the ascription as a 
whole does not exactly agree with any of them. 

C. Doubtless John is anxious to know the significance of 
this great crowd but he makes no request for information. One 
of the elders however (as in v: 5) proceeds to interpret it for 
him. He begins by asking a question, which John doubtless 
had in mind. John replies in words that are at once a con- 
fession of ignorance and a request for information. The words 
may be based on Zech. iv: 2, 5. The elder then explains whom 
they are and whence they came. "These are the ones who come 
out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and 
made them white with the blood of the Lamb." The expres- 
sion "the great tribulation" at once so definite and so emphatic 
must refer to a well-defined and anxious period in the minds of 
all his readers. What this was is clear when we recall, — first, 
the references to it here and elsewhere in the book (e. g. iii: 10, 
vi: 9, etc.), second, the Church was then passing through a 
period of supreme trial which might be expected to continue for 
some time, (i: 9, ii: 9, 13, iii: 10, etc.), while third, as has 
been shown "the great day of their wrath" is come (vi: 17) ; 
we may then conclude that "the great tribulation" refers to the 
judgment described in the succeeding chapters which is now at 
hand. This of course is a picture of the time of severe trial and 
stress upon which the Church had entered, and a prophecy of its 
result. The expression "the great tribulation" no doubt is based 
on Dan. xii: 1. The whiteness of the robes of the great multi- 
tude is due to the blood of the Lamb in which they have been 
washed. The act is ascribed to the saints themselves who are 
not passive recipients of salvation but attain it by repentance 
and faith, and secure it by vigilance and victory (cf. xii: 11). 
Thus they have been fitted for the presence of God in which 
they are continually, and to Him they give unceasing worship. 
As their incentive and reward they have His perpetual presence, 
and supply for all their needs. Vs. 16 and 17 may have been 
suggested by Isa. xlix: 10 and xxv: 8 where the language is 



Exposition 



133 



very similar. We must conclude then that the great multitude 
is the whole Christian Church of the time in its heavenly rela- 
tionship. 

D. The language of this section and particularly of the last 
two verses is very comforting and amply sustains the influence 
it has exerted on all readers since the day it was penned in 
Patmos. The whole section (vs. 9-17) finds many parallels 
in the last two chapters of the book. 

4. The two sections of this chapter present a series of strik- 
ing contrasts. In the first section we have imagery that is 
strongly apocalyptic in character; in the second the imagery is 
based more directly on the Old Testament and is far more 
familiar. The first is more earthy, the second more heavenly 
in its nature. In the first the number of the sealed is limited 
though the number is symbolic and large, in the second it is so 
great that no one can accurately determine it. In the first the 
reference is to Israelites only; in the second to all peoples. In 
the first those who are sealed are "the servants of our God/' in 
the second, the great multitude is made up of those "who come 
out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and 
made them white with the blood of the Lamb." In the first the 
concourse is being prepared for coming peril ; in the second it is 
victorious and safe. The first presents Divine mercy and care 
as limited to a particular case and need ; the second as unlimited 
and supplying all the need. The first makes no reference to 
Christ, the second represents all the benefits as obtained through 
Christ. But while there is striking contrast between the two 
parts of this chapter they are complementary rather than con- 
tradictory. The two parts describe the same body of people 
but from different points of view. Whether the reader were a 
Jewish Christian or a convert from heathenism the two sections 
would do more to encourage him and strengthen his faith than 
either could alone. 

5. The meaning of the whole chapter is plain. The first 
part assures the Christians that God will take care of His own 
in the day of His judgment on the world; the second that full 
provision is made for all their needs through Christ and that 
they are in God's presence and continually render special service 
to Him. It is very plain that such words as these would be most 
powerful to inspire these poor persecuted Christians with 
courage and faith. To the human eye there was nothing be- 



134 



The Revelation of John 



fore them but misery and death. But in the eye of Heaven 
the severe trials through which they were passing not only would 
be powerless to injure them in the sight of God but would be 
the means of equipping them for rendering Him more worthy 
service and would exalt them in His sight, while all their need 
would be supplied. Thus what they suffer and most fear be- 
comes the means by which they attain the greater exaltation and 
glory through Christ. 



XVI 



The First Four of the Seven Trumpets. Chapter viii: 1-13. 

1. The opening of the seventh seal. "And when . . 
half an hour." Vs. 1. 

A. The narrative interrupted by chapter vii is now resumed 
by the Lamb opening the last of the seals. But all is still. No 
elder, angel, or voice, offers any word of explanation. The 
silence continues for half an hour, which, though ordinarily a 
short time, would seem long in these circumstances. The 
silence is of course in the apocalyptical display and does not 
mean that the Divine activity had ceased on the earth. 

B. Now that the seven seals are all opened, the book may 
be unrolled and read ; strange to say we are not told that this 
was done. The question then arises as to where the seal open- 
ings end. Rev. J. T. Dean (Visions and Revelations, p. 96) 
believes that the "seven trumpets" are a part of the seal-open- 
ings. But there is even less to indicate their close at the blow- 
ing of the seventh trumpet than here. Nor are we told any- 
where that the contents of the unsealed book are unfolded. But 
several considerations point to the answer of our question. 
First, the most natural time for the opening of the book is im- 
mediately after the seals have been unloosed. Secondly, the half 
hour's silence forms a very impressive break and the most 
natural indication that what follows is of supreme importance. 
Third, the purpose of this whole vision is to reveal the future 
(iv: 1) and that revelation is contained in the Book of Destiny 
(see chapter v: 1-5 notes) and its essential nature is judgment 
(vi: 17) which is seen to be in progress from this point on- 
ward (see especially chapter ix: 13 and xvi: 20, 21). The 
most natural point then for the seals to close and the contents 
of the book to begin is at this half-hour's silence. 

2. "And I saw . . . them." Vs. 2. 

Here we have the beginning of the vision of the seven trum- 
pets. The article ("the" seven angels) seems to point to a well 
known heptad of angels that stood in the Divine Presence. 
Frequently in apocalyptical writings mention is made of such, 
(compare Tobit xii: 15, Enoch xx: 7). Trumpets are as- 
signed to angels in Matt, xxiv: 31,1 Cor. xv: 52, 1 Thess. iv: 

135 



136 



The Revelation of John 



1 6, etc., and probably goes back to the giving of the Law at 
Sinai (Ex. xix: i6ff, cf. also Jos. vi: 13 and Joel ii: 1). 

3. The angel with the incense. "And another angel . . . 
earthquake." Vs. 3-5. Another angel, not one of the seven, 
came forward and took his place at the altar where he assumes 
the duty of the priest and offers abundant incense (cf. Luke 
i: 11). His censer is a golden one and the altar is the Altar 
of Incense rather than the Altar of Sacrifice (cf. vi: 9). In- 
cense here and in v: 8 is plainly suggestive of prayer, and in- 
dicates that God is mindful of the prayers of His suffering peo- 
ple. But the angel puts the # censer to a second use; it is filled 
with fire and cast into the earth. It is now used not for 
intercession but for judgment and no incense is added. The 
prayers of the saints return to the earth in the form of judg- 
ments which are signified by lightnings, thunderings, voices, 
and an earthquake. This scene forms an introduction to the 
seven trumpets which now get ready and begin to sound. 

4. Preparation. "And the seven . . . sound. " Vs. 6. 
They take their positions and place the instruments to their 
mouths. As in the case of the seal openings, so here the first 
four trumpet blasts form a closely connected group as more 
directly affecting inanimate nature, while the last three bring 
direct judgments to men. In the first four the forces of nature 
are set loose and great havoc is the result, while worse things 
are to follow in the last three. The imagery may have been 
suggested in part at least by the storms, eclipses, earthquakes, 
and military movements of the first century. As in the case of 
the seals, so here, we have a break between the sixth and seventh 
trumpets when the welfare of the Church is considered. The 
events accompanying the first four trumpet blasts bear striking 
similarity to the Plagues of Egypt as recorded in the Book of 
Exodus. 

5. The first trumpet. "And the first . . . burned up." Vs. 
7. The hail and fire mingled with blood recall Ex. ix: 23ff. 
The picture is that of a storm of intense fury such as sometimes 
occur in semi-tropical countries. A rain of mingled fire and 
blood is mentioned in the Silyline Oracles (v: 377). A shower 
of blood red rain is reported to have fallen in Italy and southern 
Europe in the spring of 1901, due, it was supposed to the air 
being full of fine red sand from the Sahara desert. The storm 
fell upon the earth with such fury that all green vegetation 



Exposition 



137 



was consumed as also were a third of the trees and a third of 
the earth's surface. This doubtless is not intended to be a 
scientifically accurate proportion but indicates merely a partial 
destruction. The trees are specially mentioned, as on them the 
inhabitants of Palestine and Asia Minor depend largely (cf. 
vii: 3). 

6. The second trumpet. "And the second . . . wrecked." 
Vs. 8 and 9. As at the blast of the first trumpet the land is 
affected, now with the second it is the sea, when a huge mass 
like a great burning mountain seems to fall into it. The result 
is the death of a part of the creatures in the sea because of the 
effect it has on the waters. Here again the effect is partial. The 
picture may have been suggested by volcanic eruptions of which 
several are on record as having taken place in that part of the 
world before John wrote this book. Mount Vesuvius caused 
great destruction around the Bay of Naples in August A. D. 79. 
Strabo (i: 3, 16) tells of an eruption in B. C. 196 which re- 
sulted in the formation of a new island in the Aegean known 
afterwards as Palaea Kaumene. Or John may have obtained 
the suggestion from Enoch xviii: 13 where we read of "seven 
stars as a great burning mountain." In the first plague in 
Egypt (Ex. vii: 2off) the fish died, but here there is the addi- 
tional feature of the destruction of the boats due to the dis- 
turbance of the water. 

7. The third trumpet. "And the third angel . . . 
bitter." Vs. 10 and 11. The fresh water supply is now visited 
by a meteor which flies across the sky like a huge torch (Aa/*7ras, 
cf . iv : 5 ) and falls into the rivers and sources of water. Its 
name is Wormwood and it changes a third of the water into 
that substance so that many people die from drinking it. 

8. The fourth trumpet. "And the fourth . . . like- 
wise." Vs. 12. Mankind further suffers by a visitation on 
the heavenly bodies, which reminds us of another of the Egyptian 
plagues (Ex. x: 2 iff, cf. Amos viii: 9, Joel iii: 15). The 
plague of darkness lasted for three days but this darkness has no 
fixed duration though its extent is limited and its effect is 
partial. The usual rendering of the words of vs. 12 is that of 
the Authorized Version, "and the third part of the sun was 
smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of 
the stars ; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day 
shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise." The 



138 



The Revelation of John 



result of this translation is the inconsistency that the cause men- 
tioned will not produce the effect ascribed to it. Of course this 
may be explained as a disregard for consistency on the part of 
the author in his desire to emphasize the partial nature of the 
calamity. But we might quite as well understand the words 
to mean that the day was reduced a third in brightness, and the 
night similarly, and consider the result of the darkening in day 
and night a matter of degree rather than a matter of time. This 
would avoid all inconsistency and be quite clear as well. 

9. "And I saw . . . sound. " Vs. 13. But worse things 
are yet to come with the three succeeding trumpet blasts. The 
seer observes an eagle flying in the midst of heaven and hears 
it announce the coming woes. The inconsistency of an eagle 
speaking intelligibly does not trouble him and it is permissible 
in an apocalypse. The bird flies in mid-heaven so as to be 
plainly seen and heard, which might not be the case if he flew 
near the earth. 



XVII 



The Fifth Trumpet or First Woe. Chapter ix: 1-12. 

John sees a star that has fallen from heaven, which repre- 
sents a person or rather an angel for the key of the abysmal 
pit (cftpeaTos rr;? afivaaov) is given to him. Stars were often 
personified (cf. Judges v: 20). The Enoch literature has much 
to say of the "abyss" (Enoch xviii, xxi, xc, etc. Slavonic Enoch 
xxviii : 3 ) . In this book the mouth of this pit is kept under lock 
and key, an angel having charge of the key (cf. xx: 1) who has 
power to open and shut the entrance at his pleasure, though this 
power is exercised only by permission ("it was given to him" — 
kSodrj avrw). He opens the mouth of the pit and immediately 
a great cloud of dense smoke issues forth, blackening the at- 
mosphere and obscuring the sun (cf. Joel ii: 3of). A great 
swarm of locusts issues from the cloud (cf. Ex. x: I3f, Joel i: 
4$) but they differ from the ordinary locusts in that authority 
was given them (k860rj avraU e^ovola) not to injure vegetation 
but the people who have not the seal of God on their foreheads 
(vii: iff). They thus became like a tribe of scorpions whose 
poisonous thrust is often referred to in the Bible (1 Kings xii: 
11, Ezek. ii: 6, Luke xi: 12, etc.). These locusts must not kill 
but only afflict for five months those whom they attack. These 
locust-scorpions and the effects of their attack are described more 
in detail in vs. 6-1 1. They are very extraordinary, appearing as 
horses made ready for battle but as having gold-crowned heads, 
women's hair, men's faces, lion's teeth, iron breastplates, scor- 
pion's tails, and wings that make a sound like that of many 
chariots drawn by horses rushing to battle, and they are mar- 
shalled under a king who is called in Hebrew Abaddon and in 
Greek Apollyon. The pain they inflict is so terrible that their 
victims desire to die but cannot. The fact that they are to 
afflict men for five months appears to point to the partial and 
incomplete nature of the visitation. The scorpion is a small 
animal resembling a lobster in shape but having a long tail at 
the end of which there is a venomous sting. It seizes its prey 
with its claws and kills it with its sting. Scorpions swarm 
under stones and in chinks of walls and often hide under beds 
and mats in houses. Their sting is very painful but seldom 
causes death. At least a dozen varieties are found in Palestine 
and Syria, the largest being about 6 inches long, and black, 

139 



XVIII 

The Sixth Trumpet or Second Woe. "And the sixth 
. . . thefts." Vs. 13-21. 

When the sixth trumpet sounds a solitary voice is heard in 
reply. It seems to come from the four corners of the golden 
altar (viii: 3) and may be that of the angel who held the golden 
censer as he stood at it, or an answer to the prayers of the 
saints (viii: 3) ; in either case the result is the same. The voice 
orders the loosing of the four angels who are bound at the great 
river Euphrates. This river was the eastern limit of the terri- 
tory promised to Abraham (Gen. xv: 18) beyond which lay the 
great powers of the east, Babylonia and Assyria by whom the 
Israelites were reduced to captivity. The idea seems to be that 
the heathen eastern powers are God's instruments of vengeance. 
The Euphrates is again mentioned in connection with the Sixth 
Bowl (xvi: 12). The four angels who had been made ready 
for their work are now set free and at once enter on their mis- 
sion of death, which again is partial, only one-third of the 
people being marked for slaughter. The destruction however is 
wrought, not by the angels themselves but by a vast army of 
two hundred million horsemen which he sees in the vision and 
the number of which he hears. Perhaps the idea is based on 
Ps. lxviii: 17. The riders wore breastplates of fire, jacinth, and 
brimstone, which probably we should understand as indicating 
the color of the breastplates, namely yellow and blue, from the 
color of the sulphurous flames that proceed from the horses' 
mouths. The description suggests the overthrow of the cities 
of the plain (Gen. xix: 24ft). The horses have heads like 
lions, and from their mouths fire, smoke, and brimstone pro- 
ceed, and are the immediate instruments of destruction; but they 
inflict much injury also by their tails which are like serpents 
with heads. It might have been expected that the other two- 
thirds who were not killed would have taken warning at the 
fate of their fellows and repented of their heathen worship 
and shameful vices which were intimately associated with the 
rites of heathen worship, (cf. Mark vii: 21, Gal. v: 19, 20, 
Rev, xxi : 8, xxii : 1 5 ) . But this they do not do, 

140 



XIX 



The Strong Angel and the Little Book. Chapter x: i-n. 

1. As in the case of the seals, the series of trumpets is in- 
terrupted at the end of the sixth, while attention is directed to 
the Church in the section x: i — xi: 13. 

2. Still another angel now appears. He is enrobed in a 
cloud, the vehicle whereby heavenly creatures ascend and de- 
scend (cf. Ps. civ: 3, Dan. vii: 13, Acts i: 9 ff, 1 Thess iv: 
17, etc.). He has the rainbow (1/ois) on his head. His face 
and feet resemble those of the glorified Christ but he is not to 
be identified with Him. He holds in his hand a little book al- 
ready opened, — not sealed as was the one in v: 1. John prob- 
ably has Ezek. ii: 1 — iii: 11 in mind throughout this whole 
section. The posture of the angel is such as to show his great 
size and is entirely in harmony with John's idea of his strength, 
as is also his powerful voice. As he speaks the seven thunders 
reply. The article here would indicate that these seven thun- 
ders formed a well known group, but what it was we have no 
means of judging. John seems to be taking notes of what he 
sees and hears, but though he evidently understands the words 
of the seven thunders he is forbidden to write them down ; why, 
or what they were we do not know (cf. 2 Cor. xii: 4). This 
is' the one instance in which he is forbidden to write and com- 
municate to the churches what he has seen and heard (i: 11, 
19). This remarkable angel swears by the Eternal Creator 
that there shall be no more delay but that with the sounding 
of the seventh trumpet the mystery of God shall be clear. Then 
John hears once more the voice that ordered him not to write 
what the seven thunders uttered (vs. 4) commanding him to 
take the book that lay open in the angel's hand. In his ecstasy 
John now leaves the door (iv: 1) and approaches the great 
angel, asking at the same time for the book. He is told to take 
it and eat it up which he does, finding it, as the angel had in- 
formed him, sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. Then 
he is told that he must prophesy again before peoples, races, 
tongues, and kings. 

3. What is the meaning and significance of this section? 

141 



142 



The Revelation of John 



A. The strong angel of vs. i. He bears striking resemblance 
to the glorified Christ of chapter i: 13ft, the sun-like face and 
his feet, but the differences are so obvious that we cannot iden- 
tify them as the same. He comes down from heaven. He 
stands with one foot on the sea and the other on the land, 
showing that his authority and power extend to all the earth, 
or probably we should say, to all the empire. His words in 
vs. 6 and 7 show that he has inner knowledge of the plans and 
purposes of God. These considerations lead us to conclude that 
the strong angel of this chapter is a special representative of 
God ; or to strip it of its apocalyptic form, God manifesting 
Himself anew. 

B. The little book open in his hand. The analogy of Ezek. 
ii: iff on which this passage is so manifestly based and of the 
Book of Destiny, v: iff, as well as the nature of the book itself, 
— something that could be eaten up, — all tend to indicate that 
the little book signifies a fragment of God's purpose now re- 
vealed. 

C. John, the seer is of course one of the creatures of earth, 
one who is favored with an apocalyptic revelation from heaven. 
He therefore represents the Church — God's people in the world, 
to whom the revelation of God's purpose is given. John's 
ready acceptance of the little book indicates the readiness with 
which His people receive the revelation of His purpose, while 
his eating it up indicates the completeness to which this recep- 
tion is carried ; the sweetness from it in his mouth shows how 
very pleasant they found it to be, while its bitterness afterwards 
indicates its after effects, summoning its recipients to give up 
much that they had held dear, calling on them to discharge their 
difficult duties in the world, and revealing to them something 
of the divine purpose which so far they had not understood. 

4. The significance of this section is clear from vs. 6 and 7* 
"And sware ... to his servants the prophets." And vs. 
11, "You must prophesy again, etc." 

A. John stood here in the rank of a prophet (cf. i: 1 and 
xxii: 9) and as a prophet he receives this revelation. A com- 
parison of these words "To his servants the prophets," with 
Amos iii: 7, Jer. vii: 25 and xxv: 4 and especially with Rev. i: 
1, 3 and xi: 18 leaves no doubt regarding John's position as a 
servant and prophet of God and a representative of the whole 
body of Christians, Besides, a comparison, of this passage with 



Exposition 



143 



these and also with Rev. vi: 10, II, plainly indicates that the 
mystery of God was the reason why, in the providence of God, 
they were subjected to persecutions and hardships and not 
earlier avenged. 

B. The burden of the revelation is that the time is at hand 
in the great display which is passing before him, when the 
mystery of God should be explained. And as the purpose of the 
vision was to reveal the forces at work in the present and their 
issue (i: 1, iv: 1), and as the sixth trumpet has sounded and the 
explanation is to come when the seventh begins to sound, of 
course that will not be long (xi: 14). Thus the purpose of this 
chapter is to assure Christ's faithful people who receive His 
truth and serve Him that light is to be at once thrown on their 
circumstances. The relation of the chapter to its context will 
be considered more fully after the next section, xi: 1-13. 



XX 



.The Two Witnesses. Chapter xi: 1-13. 
Here a number of points call for our consideration. 

1. Measuring of the temple of God. Vs. 1-2. 

A. A temple has already been mentioned in iii: 12 and vii: 
15 and an altar in vi: 9, viii: 3 and ix: 13 ; but we are not told 
that they are the same as those mentioned here. The temple 
of the tent of the testimony is not opened until we reach xv : 
5 and besides there is nothing to indicate that the temple here 
is seen in the vision, but verse 2 would rather indicate that it is 
on the earth as the description appears to fit the temple at 
Jerusalem which was "the temple of God," had an outer court 
given to the Gentiles, an altar, and worshippers, and is in "the 
holy city." The temple is measured manifestly for its preserva- 
tion. The "holy city" is to be trodden down by the Gentiles 
and the outer court is given them. 

B. The forty and two months is the same as the 1260 days 
or 3^2 years (42x30 — 1260). This is an indefinite and broken 
period of considerable length indicating the time of superiority 
of the heathen forces, which are here, the pagan people of the 
Empire. The idea is based on Daniel vii: 25 and xii: 7 and 
may have been the time of the sufferings of the Jews under 
Antiochus whether we reckon from June 168 to Dec. 165 
B. C. or from Dec. 168 to June 164 B. C. In Rev. xii: 6, 14 
and xiii : 5 we have the same period mentioned in similar ways. 

C. The temple with its altar and people we may conclude, 
stands for the Church. The reasons for this will be clearer 
after the various points in the remainder of the chapter have 
been elucidated. 

2. The two witnesses. Vs. 3ff. 

A. The two witnesses are "mine," i. e. they belong to the 
speaker who is not indicated but appears to be the same one 
who gave the seer the reed (vs. 1) and is therefore one who 
represents God. The length of time they prophesy is the same 
as that during which the holy city is to be trodden under foot 
by the Gentiles. As sackcloth is suggestive of grief and sorrow 
their clothing as they prophesy suggests that they are in trouble. 
But power to prophesy is promised them. 

144 



Exposition 



145 



B. Who these two witnesses are it is difficult to determine. 
No doubt the seer has in mind Zech. iv but this passage does not 
explain the meaning of our text. These two witnesses cannot 
be any pair of worthies of the past, as the promise is for the 
future and they are to prophesy in the flesh through the period 
of Gentile domination indicated as 1260 days. This excludes 
Moses and Elijah, Elijah and Elisha, Enoch and Elijah, though 
vs. 5 shows that Elijah, and vs. 6 that Moses are in John's 
mind. The words that follow also appear to exclude such 
allegorical interpretations as the Law and the Prophets, the 
Law and the Gospel, the Old Testament and the New. The 
best interpretation on the whole seems to be that the witnesses 
represent the Church in her function as a witness-bearer for 
Christ. This is confirmed by the words in vs. 7 that the beast 
shall make war with the witnesses, as war is said to be made 
against one or two persons only if they stand in a representative 
or corporate capacity, e. g. kings. She is pictured by two wit- 
nesses, partly because of the suggestion of various Old Testa- 
ment passages (Deut. xix: 15, Zech. iv: 2ff), but chiefly no 
doubt to symbolize her two elements, first Jewish, and second 
Gentile. The Church in her two-fold aspect of Jewish and 
Gentik, would bear witness through the whole time of Gentile 
domination but in sorrow and self-humiliation (i. e. clothed in 
sackcloth) because of the trials and hardships she would have 
to meet in such circumstances. These might be described as 
olive trees and lamps, especially as the seven churches have been 
called lamps (At>xwat — ch. i: 12, 20) ; their witness would be 
as a fire consuming their enemies to whom they would appear 
to be as a scourge on the earth, and over whom they would 
have great power even as Moses and Elijah had great powers 
entrusted to them (vs. 5 and 6). The Church's enemies, how- 
ever, would apparently overcome her and rejoice in her down- 
fall, but her defeat and death would be only apparent as she 
would come to life again and ascend to heaven in full view of 
her enemies to their astonishment. 

C. It is from God that the two witnesses receive their power. 
"I will give to my two witnesses." This will enable them to 
prophesy. 

D. In the powers ascribed to the witnesses there is as usual 
considerable modification of the details of the narratives that 
John evidently has in mind (cf. 2 Kings i: ioff, Luke ix: 54, 



146 



The Revelation of John 



also 1 Kings xvii: 1 and Ex. vii: I9f). Whereas in the case of 
Elijah the fire came down from heaven here it proceeds from 
the mouth of the witnesses. The power of the witnesses to 
smite the earth with every plague as often as they wish, is much 
greater than that given to Moses. 

E. The immunity from danger which the witnesses enjoy 
lasts only until their work is done as then the wild beast from 
the abyss destroys them. 

3. The beast that arose from the abyss. This is the first time 
in the book such a beast (Orjplov a wild beast) has been men- 
tioned, nor is there any further reference to such an one until we 
reach chapter xiii: 1. Yet the definite article implies that the 
figure is already familiar to the reader. This wild beast from 
the abyss is clearly a power of considerable importance as other- 
wise a beast would not be spoken of as making war, except per- 
haps in a figurative sense. If the two witnesses are the Church 
in its Jewish and Gentile aspects, the wild beast is most reason- 
ably interpreted as the Imperial power that is represented as 
attacking, overcoming, and destroying Christ's witnesses, the 
Church. The picture may have been suggested by Dan. vii: 
3ff but the sea is exchanged for the abyss. John perceives that 
there will be a great struggle between the Imperial power and 
the Church which will result in the apparent defeat of the 
Church, so complete that even decent burial will be denied her, 
but ultimately she will attain real victory. 

4. The great city vs. 8. Though the expression "great city" 
is used of Babylon (Rome) in xvi: 19, xvii: 18 and xviii: ioff 
the words "where also their Lord was crucified," leave no 
doubt that Jerusalem is here meant. But why should it be 
called "Sodom and Egypt?" We may remember that the 
prophets sometimes connected the name of Sodom with Judah 
(Isa. i: 9, Ezek. xvi: 46, 55f). It would signify and suggest 
moral degradation. Egypt "the house of bondage" (Ex. xx: 
2) is plainly a symbol of oppression though nowhere else in the 
Old Testament or the New applied to Jerusalem or Israel. We 
must remember, too, that it is only from a spiritual point of 
view (TrvevfxaTLKios) that this city is called "Sodom and Egypt." 
In vs. 2 it is spoken of as "the holy city" but from another point 
of view. To the devout Jew, Jerusalem was the holy city, par 
excellence, because the centre of the religious life of Israel; to 
the Christian it was the holy city also because the centre of 



Exposition 



147 



Judaism and so intimately associated with Christianity and 
Christ. Yet it could be considered from another point of view 
as a city of wickedness and oppression, because of the extent 
to which it had become Gentile and filled with Gentile wicked- 
ness to which it is given up and from which only the sanctuary 
is preserved, and it is the "holy city" only because of its re- 
ligious associations to Jew and Christian. In the ultimate 
meaning it therefore becomes a symbol of Rome the spiritual 
Sodom and Egypt where Christ was again crucified in His 
saints. 

5. All kindreds, tongues, races, and peoples, (vs. 9) as also 
those who dwell on the earth (vs. 10), are of course the heathen 
people of the Empire which was then so universal in its scope. 
They gaze at the sight which lasts as many days as the witnesses 
had testified in years, and their delight at their victory over the 
witnesses is great. Like fiends they will neither bury their 
bodies nor permit others to do so, while childishly they celebrate 
their victory by giving one another gifts. While their victory 
is of short duration it is long enough to have the appearance of 
permanence. The witnesses had tortured the world by their 
messages of conviction and the jubilation is more because of the 
relief from this torment than because of the death of the wit- 
nesses. 

6. To the astonishment and dismay of the onlookers the 
bodies suddenly come to life as the spirit of life from God enters 
them and they ascend to heaven, in response to a call to do so. 
This of course means that the Church, when apparently van- 
quished by her enemies and dead is suddenly raised to new life 
by divine power. 

7. The earthquake and its accompaniments vs. 13. These 
details are added, like so many others in this book, chiefly to 
give color to the picture, and the numbers are conventional. 
Earthquakes were very familiar in Asia Minor in the first cen- 
tury and the destruction wrought by them was often much 
more severe than that indicated here. The fear that falls upon 
the rest of the people and the glory which they give to the God 
of heaven are also conventional. While quite genuine as far as 
they go they are very superficial and soon pass away as they 
do not come from any real change of heart. 

8. The significance of the passage is plain. The Church, as 
the witness-bearer of God causes much trouble among the non- 



148 



The Revelation of John 



Christian peoples by her testimony and arouses their active op- 
position, with the result that the Church is apparently ex- 
terminated but really is not so but rises triumphant from the 
experience to the amazement of her enemies. The relation of 
this passage to the larger context will be considered in connec- 
tion with the next section. 

9. The bearing of this chapter on the date of the book has 
received much attention. Dr. Johannes Weiss (die Offen- 
barung des Johannes page 130) is of the opinion that this 
chapter can be dated with certainty between May and August 
of A. D. 70 and that a later date is impossible. But A. even 
if this be the case it does not fix the date of the completion of the 
book as a whole, and B. Jerusalem has suffered many calami- 
ties from the Gentiles due more or less directly to religious 
activity on the part of the Jews. C. The picture is not suffi- 
ciently definite to enable us to identify it with any particular 
catastrophe to Jerusalem, much less that of A. D. 70, and D. 
if the passage does refer to that event it is more likely to be as 
a past event than as a future probability. We must conclude 
then that in our present state of knowledge the passage throws 
little or no light on the date of the book. 



XXI 



The Seventh Trumpet. Chapter xi: 14-19. 

1. Connective, vs. 14. These two short sentences serve to 
mark clearly the dividing line between the second and third 
woe, the sixth and seventh trumpet. 

2. The seventh trumpet sounds (vs. 15), and as in the case 
of the other trumpets action at once begins. 

A. There are great voices in the heavens (vs. 15). What 
these are we are not told but possibly they are voices of the four 
living creatures (iv: 6) as they represent the realm of nature, or 
perhaps they are the voices of some angels specially appointed 
to make the announcement, especially as the twenty-four elders 
utter their thanksgiving in vs. 17 and 18. 

B. The announcement is that the kingdoms of the world 
have passed under the dominion of the Lord and His Christ. 
The Lord is of course God, and His Christ is Jesus Christ. 
The reign is one as the verb ("shall reign," fiavikevaei) is 
singular; and it is perennial and endless. 

3. The four and twenty elders add their thanksgiving (vs. 
16-18). These, as we saw, (chapter iv: 4ft) represent the 
Church, and prostrate themselves as they add their worship (cf. 
iv: 10, v: 8, 14, xix: 4). 

B. Their words add considerable to the announcement of 
vs. 15. Not only has the Lord God, almighty and eternal, 
assumed the sovereignty of the world but the hour of His wrath 
and judgment has arrived. In this judgment Ps. 2 is prom- 
inently in the mind of the writer. The judgment is to include 
all classes, living and dead, saints and sinners. While the living 
are not specially mentioned they are included in the present 
participles (fear cfroftov/xevoLs; destroy 8ta</>0eipovras) . By "the 
dead" are doubtless meant especially those who have died in the 
persecutions that called forth the Apocalypse, while "the 
prophets," "saints" and "those who fear thy name, the small 
and the great," are the Christians of all classes; "those who de- 
stroy the earth," are the Church's opponents, the supporters 
of paganism and the Imperial religion ; all who helped to poison 
society were to be destroyed. 



149 



150 



The Revelation of John 



4. The temple opened in heaven, vs. 19. This is not the 
temple of chapter xi: 1-2 which is on the earth. A heavenly 
temple is mentioned in iii: 12, vii: 15, xv: 5ft, xxi: 22. The 
view of the temple opened in heaven appears to be but momen- 
tary, as it is opened again in xv: 5rf. But while it is open the 
seer beholds the Ark of the Covenant in it and thus looks upon 
a further pledge that the declaration will be fulfilled. 

5. The lightnings, voices^ thunderings, earthquake, and the 
great hail again add color to the picture and greatly increase the 
majesty and excellence of the scene. 

6. The meaning of the section is plain. Manifestly we 
must read it in the light of chapter vi: 10, 11 and x: 6, 7. This 
would indicate that the mystery of God was the burning ques- 
tion of how long the sufferings and persecutions of the Church 
must continue. The mystery is now finished (or ended, or ex- 
plained) by this declaration that God is now to be supreme 
and the time of judgment has come. This is as yet a declaration 
in heaven and there is no indication that it is announced in the 
world to the Church. Although announced it is not to be 
gained without the strong opposition of pagan forces. This 
conflict and the result of it is pictured in the following chapters. 



XXII 



General Significance of the Section. Chapter viii: I — xi: 19. 

In the opening of the sealed book (chapter vi and vii) we 
have seen a picture of the Empire as it appeared to the seer. 
There were great calamities both present and impending, the 
Church was suffering from a severe persecution and anxiously 
asking how much longer it must suffer; the Empire too, was 
suffering from many forms of evil and more were soon to come, 
so much so that the day of the outpouring of the Divine wrath 
in judgment was evidently at hand (vi: 17). But before it 
comes special provision is made for the Church (chapter vii). 

In chapter viii: 2 — xi: 19 we have the first stage in that 
judgment, a stage and section of the book that may be called 
"The Seven Trumpets." In the first two chapters of this sec- 
tion we have pictures of a series of calamities gradually increas- 
ing in severity until in the sixth a third part of the men are 
killed, but so far as we are told no one of those sealed in chap- 
ter vii is injured. They are specially exempted from the calam- 
ity of the fifth trumpet (ix: 4) and in the sixth they are ap- 
parently not injured either. As in the case of the seal-openings 
we doubtless have here representations of events that were 
actually taking place in the Empire and probably the same or 
similar events. But while the seal-openings merely exhibit these 
events and reveal a situation, the trumpet blasts show that these 
events had a special significance and were intended to fulfil a 
particular purpose. We have an indication of this significance 
in chapter ix: 20, 21. This is that the judgments of the trum- 
pet blasts are of the nature of an appeal to repentance. This is 
confirmed by their similarity to the plagues of Moses and 
Pharaoh in Egypt and by their place in relationship to the other 
parts of the book. Judgment is announced as imminent in 
the seals (vi: 17). It is partial and apparently remedial in its 
intention in the trumpets (ix: 20, 21) and not complete until 
we reach chapters xvii and xviii which are preceded by a de- 
scription of a terrible conflict in which the powers of evil are 
overthrown. All these things indicate that the calamities of 
the trumpets are a warning and an appeal to the people who 
were not Christians. They were a revelation of what God 
was in power and holiness, that He was Lord of the realms of 

151 



152 



The Revelation of John 



nature and men, and that they were opposed to Him in their 
pursuit of vice and in their worship of idols and demons. The 
terrible evils following the trumpet-blasts were a warning of 
what would follow if they persisted in their present attitude. 
And because a revelation and a warning they were also an 
appeal — an appeal to depart from that position of danger and 
rebellion against God, and to take up a new attitude of obedi- 
ence to Him and devotion to His cause. All this they might 
have learned much easier and more comfortably by hearing and 
responding to the preaching of the gospel in their midst but they 
would not. They were so entirely and completely attached to 
their own ways that not only did they refuse to hear, but they 
did their utmost to destroy those who preached and those who 
heard it. If they were ignorant it was a blame-worthy ignor- 
ance and they were quite as guilty. Still the divine goodness 
goes out to them, and by the stern process of pain will bring 
them to a sense of their position when they would not respond 
to the gentler method of the gospel message. 

The beneficient appeal of affliction as it comes in the calami- 
ties of the trumpet blasts is in vain. They do not repent. This 
leaves only one course open, their overthrow and destruction. 
The first stage in this is indicated in the declaration of the 
divine action following the seventh trumpet (xi: 15). His 
dominion over the earthly kingdoms is declared. This will be 
opposed to the bitter end by the powers of evil and a terrible 
conflict will result. 

But what of the Christians in view of this approaching con- 
flict? In chapters x:i — xi: 13 the provision made for them is 
described in three ways. A. The scene of chapter x shows that 
the purpose of God is to be revealed to them without delay 
(vs. 7). This revelation will be very acceptable to them but 
will also bring its sorrows as they must continue their witness. 

B. The measuring of the temple in xi: 1-2 shows that they are 
to be preserved from the general coming destruction about them. 

C. Chapter xi: 1-13 shows that in continuing to bear witness 
for Christ they will stir up much suffering by awaking con- 
science in their enemies, that in their anger and resentment they 
will try to destroy the Christians and will seem to succeed, but 
that they will come off more than conquerors in it all, rising 
triumphant and glorious to the amazement of their enemies by 
the blessing of God. 



XXIII 



The Woman and the Dragon. Chapter xii: 1-17. 

1. Most commentators and students of the Apocalypse find 
a great break in the book at the end of chapter xi. Indeed some 
appear to consider it the most important dividing line in the 
book, No doubt there is a great change as we pass from chap- 
ter xi to chapter xii but the division is not as well-marked as 
some would have us believe. Our study of the unity of the 
book (Introduction, VII) has shown that the great break in 
it is at the end of chapter iii where we have the dividing line 
between the two visions. 

2. A great sign appears in heaven. Vs. 1 and 2. The heav- 
enly scene begun in chapter iv: 1 continues but new features 
come into view. This is the first appearance of a female figure 
in the Apocalypse. The sun forms her raiment (cf. Ps. civ: 2) 
the moon her footstool, (cf. Ps. cx: 1 and Mark xii: 36, Ps. 
viii: 6, Heb. ii: 8) while she wears on her head a wreath of 
twelve stars, cf. Gen. xxxvii: 9). She is with child and so near 
the time of her delivery that the birth pangs are already upon 
her, which the writer sharply contrasts with the magnificence of 
her clothing and adornment. Probably he has Isa. vii: 14 
(cf. Matt, i: 23 and Luke i: 31) in mind. 

The most reasonable interpretation of this is that the woman 
represents the Jewish Church. She was glorious in the sight 
of God, so glorious that it might be said that she alone He 
knew (Amos iii: 2). The Jewish Church however finds her 
completion and herself matured in the Christian Church. 
Therefore we should not distinguish too closely between them 
as they are not sharply separated in this book. This is par- 
ticularly the case,- here as the words of vs. 13 show. The birth- 
pangs would be the spiritual struggles through which the Jew- 
ish Church passed at the time when Christ was born. 

3. Vs. 3-4. Another great sign appears, a blood-red dragon 
with seven diademed heads and ten horns ; his size and strength 
are indicated by his tail catching the third part of the stars and 
dragging them to the earth. He stands in front of the woman 
waiting to devour her child as soon as born. 

In our endeavor to understand the meaning of this sign we 

153 



154 



The Revelation of John 



must note that the dragon can fight both in heaven and in 
earth (vs. 7 and 17), has angels (vs. 7), and is particularly 
designated as an "old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, who 
deceives the whole world" (vs. 9), and again as a serpent (vs. 
14 and 15). He makes and carries on war (vs. 7, 17), gives 
his seat, power, and authority to a beast (ch. xiii: 2), and is 
worshipped (chapter xiii: 4). In view of these considerations 
the most likely interpretation of the meaning of this "sign" is 
that the dragon is the supreme power of evil, — the devil and 
Satan who acts through the force of the Empire, his heads and 
his horns are the Imperial instruments by whom he carries 
on his war and persecution (Ramsay, Letters, page 94). The 
Empire of course had worked hardship on the Jewish people 
in many ways and in the person of Herod was anxiously seek- 
ing to destroy Christ. 

4. Vs. 5 and 6. The child is born but Satan is foiled in his 
desire to devour it. Evidently the writer has in mind here Ps. 
ii: 9; but in ii: 27 and xix: 15 the words plainly refer to 
Christ. This helps us to fix the interpretation of the Child as 
Jesus, the Christ, and this view is confirmed by the further 
statement that "her child was caught up to God and to his 
throne, " which surely is a fair picture of Christ's resurrection 
and ascension. Though the dragon's antipathy is more against 
the Child than the woman, yet she flees from his presence on 
the ascension of her Child to God. The author may have in 
mind the wanderings of Israel in the wilderness (Deut. viii: 
2rl), or Elijah's two withdrawals from Ahab and Jezebel (1 
Kings xvii: 2ff and xix: 3f), or the flight of many Jews in the 
time of Antiochus (1 Mace, ii: 29f), or the flight of Joseph and 
Mary with the young Child into Egypt (Matt, ii: 13). The 
description is doubtless intended to indicate that in the good 
providence of God the Church was provided for and kept so 
that none of the attacks of her enemies were successful in 
securing her destruction. Her support would come through 
fellowship with the Father and Son by the Spirit. The length 
of time which the woman remains hiding in the wilderness is 
given as 1260 days or 3^ years, which is the same as that of the 
prophesy of the two witnesses (xi: 3). Indeed the two are 
representations of the Church in different aspects ; the two wit- 
nesses as testifying for Christ in the world, the woman as the 
body of people through whom Christ came and whom Satan 



Exposition 



155 



assails. 

5. The conflict in heaven, vs. 7-12. The scene changes. 
While the whole picture is in heaven (vs. 1) there is now the 
representation of that which takes place in heaven as distinct 
from the earth (vs. 9). Michael and his angels on the one hand 
fight with the dragon and his angels on the other. The re- 
sult of this conflict is that the dragon is beaten and besides ex- 
pelled from heaven and with all his angels cast into the earth. 
(The seer may have in mind Luke x: 18 and John xii: 31). 
His overthrow is proclaimed in heaven by a great voice which 
announces the victory, the means by which it was gained, and 
its results (vs. 10-12). The source of the great voice is not 
mentioned but the expression "our brethren" (vs. 10) would 
suggest that it may have come from one of the elders. The 
proclamation shows that the victory over the dragon and his 
angels was complete; not only was he beaten but he was cast 
out of heaven and his angels also. If this clears the way for the 
free reign of Christ in heaven it brings dismay to the earth. 
The victory was gained because of the blood of the Lamb and 
the word of their witness, showing that the conflict was spiritual 
rather than literal, which, doubtless, is in part the real signifi- 
cance of its being represented as in heaven. The phrase further 
indicates that the conflict was one between the spiritual forces 
of good and evil, not only as these found expression in the body 
of Christians and their persecutors, but between these forces in 
themselves. The results of the victory are startling. On the 
one hand it gives Christ free reign in heaven, i. e. mastery over 
all the spiritual forces, while on the other it brings terror to the 
inhabitants of the earth and sea, that is citizens of the Empire, 
because Satan, beaten in heaven and cast into the earth, is filled 
with wrath and determined to use what time and opportunity 
remains to him to the utmost as he knows that it will not be 
for long. 

6. The persecution on earth, vs. 13-18. Cast into the earth 
the dragon pursues the woman. In view of what has been said 
this must mean that the seer considers the Empire as under the 
sway of Satan in its persecution of the Church. But provision 
is made for her and she is enabled to endure the storm of perse- 
cution which continues to rage. Vs. 14-16 explain verse 6 
while vs. 13 and 17 further explain the latter part of vs. 4. In- 
deed vs. 7-17 may be regarded as explanatory of vs. 1-6. Un- 



156 



The Revelation of John 



able either to destroy the Christ or the Church he will attack 
Christians who are designated as those who A. keep the com- 
mandments of God, and B. have the witness of Jesus. But 
as he is bent on this mission he suddenly pauses on the sand of 
the sea, as the great beast of chapter xiii: i-io breaks upon 
John's sight. 

7. Here then we have another picture of that terrible con- 
flict of the early Church. Behind it all is Satan, the arch- 
enemy of man and God, working through the Empire and at- 
temping to destroy first the Christ, and then the Church, and at 
war even with the angel hosts in heaven, but unable to ac- 
complish his purpose because of the Divine care of the Church ; 
and entirely beaten in his conflict and cast into the earth he 
attacks with renewed energy the remnant of the Church. 

8. What encouragement such a picture must have brought to 
the little band of Christ's people in those terrible days. The 
assurance that Satan was doing his worst but unable to prevail 
against God, that although the conflict was fierce and terrible 
God Himself was caring for them, and that nothing, not even 
the fiercest attacks of the enemy, could shake His dominion or 
overthrow His power. 



XXIV 



The Great Beast from the Sea. Chapter xiii: I-IO. 

Another great beast having seven heads and ten horns appears 
rising up from the sea. His horns are crowned and he wears 
the names of blasphemy. He appears like a leopard, has feet 
as a bear, mouth like a lion, and the power, seat, and great 
authority of the dragon. He receives a deadly wound in one 
of his heads, but the wound heals. He is the object of the 
world's wonder, and with the dragon the world's worship. His 
mouth speaks great blasphemies. Great power is his, but his 
end is sure. 

When we consider the picture here given there can be little 
doubt as to its significance. Doubtless the writer has in mind 
the well-known pictures of the Book of Daniel, — chapter vii: 
2ff. But all the beasts there needed to be combined to form a 
symbol sufficiently brutish and terrible for the writer's purpose. 
If the dragon of chapter xii was Satan expressing himself in the 
Imperial power, this is the Imperial power as the expression and 
instrument of Satan. The sea, on which John would often 
look, presented a fit picture of that great agitated mass of un- 
regenerated humanity out of which national and social move- 
ments come. The monster rising out of the sea would be a 
monster essentially foreign to western Asia. The many heads 
and horns, as in the case of the dragon, add to the ugliness of 
the picture, and if they represent anything it is the crowned 
emperors and temples dedicated to the worship of human be- 
ings, blasphemously called Gods. Rome was like a beast of 
supreme power and ugliness in the eyes of the Christians. Its 
power was chiefly brute force and its character and power 
might be fairly pictured in this way as they were formed by 
the gradual and continuous addition of many peoples of varied 
race, language, ^and religion, many of whom were never thor- 
oughly assimilated but added merely as additional excrescences; 
it was like a leopard, agile, crafty, cruel; its strength and 
power to crush could be fittingly shown in the feet of the bear ; 
while the roar of the lion would aptly express its declarations, 
blasphemous and haughty. If it is difficult for us to combine 



157 



158 



The Revelation of John 



all these elements in a picture, it is not difficult to see that the 
combination would be a fitting symbol of the Imperial power. 
Nor would it be too much to assert that to an earnest Christian 
it would appear to occupy the very throne of Satan and possess 
his power. We must remember too, that the emperors claimed 
to be divine and were universally worshipped. Surely it is not 
too much to say that all such claims were blasphemies. When 
we further recall the practically universal power and dominion 
of Rome in those days and how all were required to observe the 
Imperial religion, we have no difficulty in understanding the 
words of vs. 7 and 8. The forty-two months is the period of 
Roman supremacy equal to the time times and a half of chapter 
xii: 14 and the 1260 days of xi: 3. The words of vs. 3 that 
one of the heads of the beast was wounded to death, and the 
deadly wound was healed fittingly express the well known story 
of Nero redivivus (see Introduction IV). 

But there is something certain to which the reader must 
specially give attention. The one who is destined for captivity 
goes into captivity, the one who kills with the sword must be 
killed by the same. Rome is destined for captivity and into it 
she shall go; she has killed with the sword and must herself 
be killed in the same way. This is the fate that is before her. 
Here is encouragement for the overburdened and persecuted 
Christians. Let them bear patiently their hard lot for the time 
will come when their persecutor will be no more. 



XXV 



The Beast from the Land. Xiii: 11-18. 

The seer observes a second beast rising from the land, which 
would seem to indicate that he was a native of the country, — 
an expression of the life of the people of Asia. This beast is 
more natural than the first, but equally emphatic in his words. 
He has the authority of the first beast, i. e. of the Imperial 
power, and his business is to promote its worship. He performs 
great signs such as making fire descend from heaven, and thereby 
deceiving the people, as he commands them to make images to 
the Imperial power and to these he pretends to give life, so that 
they speak and order the death of any who refuse to worship 
them. Also this beast requires all the people to receive a mark 
in their right hand or forehead, forbidding to others the right 
to buy or sell. 

What can this represent? Verse 18 gives an interpretation 
to which attention is specially called by the words "Here is 
wisdom." But the interpretation here given only adds to the 
difficulty. When all is considered no explanation appears to the 
writer to be as good as that of Prof. Ramsay (Letters, p. 97ff) 
which in brief is as follows. This beast symbolizes the province 
of Asia, the two horns representing it in its double aspect of civil 
and religious administration,- — the Proconsul and the Commune. 
The country was peaceful and no army was needed, so the beast 
is like a lamb; but it spake as a dragon for Rome always ex- 
pressed herself sternly and haughtily. The provincial admin- 
istration exercised full Imperial authority which was delegated 
to the Proconsul for his year of office so that this beast exercised 
all the authority of the first beast in his sight. The provincial 
administration organized the state religion of the emperors and 
thus made the land, (or country, yfj, not earth), to worship the 
first beast. This organization and administration included the 
arranging of the ritual as well as superintending and directing 
its performance, ordering the erection of temples and statues, 
fixing holidays and festivals, etc., etc., by way of carrying out 
the Imperial regulation that all loyal subjects must conform to 
the state religion and take part in the Imperial ritual, — and 

159 



160 The Revelation of John 

thus saying to them that dwell in the land that they should make 
an image to the beast. Any who would not perform an act of 
worship to the Emperor as represented by his statue were put 
to death, (as Pliny indicates in his letter to Trajan). And 
as the other statements in vs. 13-16 are neither corroborated 
nor contradicted by other evidence, and as they are quite in 
accord with what we might expect in the case we must believe 
that we have here a reliable contemporary account of the per- 
secution, though in accordance with the nature of the book we 
may well believe that to a considerable degree it is figurative 
or symbolic. 

While there is some difference of opinion among the best 
recent interpreters as to the significance of some of the details 
of this section, and while some slight difference of opinion ex- 
ists as to the general meaning of the section,— Swete, for in- 
stance, thinking that "the second beast represents the sorcery and 
superstition of the age as engaged in a common attempt to im- 
pose the Caesar cult upon the provinces, behind which there 
lay the Satanic purpose of bringing ruin upon the rising Chris- 
tian brotherhoods, ,, and C. Anderson Scott thinking "that the 
second monster stands for the priests of the Imperial cult, at- 
tached to the Imperial temples," — it is reasonably clear that the 
second beast is designated to represent the provincial means of 
enforcing the claims of the Imperial government. 

Many attempts have been made to explain vs. 18 but none 
have been generally accepted. Perhaps the most widely accept- 
ed is that the number 666 represents the total numerical value 
of the words Nero Caesar written in Hebrew IDp |TU (i. e, 
reading from right to left 50 + 200 + 6+ 50 +100 + 60 
+ 200 = 666), but in this there are several difficulties and it 
is by no means a satisfactory explanation. While we may be 
sure that the interpretation would be perfectly clear to the 
minds of the Asian (Christians we have to admit that the key 
to it was soon after lost and has never been found. 



XXVI 



The Lamb on Mount Zion. Chapter xiv: 1-5. 

1. It has been pointed out (Rev. J. T. Deane, M. A., Visions 
and Revelations, p. 156O, that there is a striking contrast and 
resemblance between this section and chapter xiii. He men- 
tions the following, xiii: 1 "I saw a beast coming up out of the 
sea." xiv: 1 "I saw, .... the Lamb standing on the mount 
Zion." The followers of the beast had his name written on 
their right hands and their foreheads; the 144,000 have their 
Father's name written on their foreheads. The worshippers 
of the beast say, "Who is like the beast! who can war with 
him." The singers sing a new song before the throne. 

2. The Lamb on Mount Zion. We have only to refer to the 
other passages in this book where the Lamb is mentioned and 
compare them with this to conclude that none but Christ is 
here signified by the term. The Lamb is represented as stand- 
ing on Mount Zion, the site of the Temple. This mountain 
seems to have become a symbol of the security and strength 
which belong to the people of God. (Cf. Ps. ii: 6, xlviii: iff, 
lxxviii: 54, 68, lxxxvii: iff, cxxv: 1, Isa. xxviii: 16, lix: 20, 
Mic. iv: 7, Obad. 17, 21). Thus the picture here is one of 
security, strength and consequently peace in the fellowship of 
Christ. 

3. The company is one of 144,000. It is not exactly the same 
as the twelve times twelve thousand of chapter vii: 4 as the 
tribes are not in view. But the sum total is the same and the 
descriptions are sufficiently alike to permit us to believe that 
the same body of people is meant. In chapter vii they are sealed, 
(which exempts them from spiritual harm), while here they 
have the name of the Lamb and the name of His Father in their 
foreheads. As Dr. Swete also points out, this suggests the two 
fold aspect of a nature owned of God and a life consecrated to 
His service. The parallel with the multitudes of chapter vii 
as well as the description of them following, marks them as 
again a representation of the Church whether it was made up 
of Jewish or Gentile elements. They alone can learn the song; 
they are virgins, — by which we must understand, not that they 

161 



1 62 



The Revelation of John 



lived ascetic or celibate lives but that they were not contam- 
inated with the pagan worship of the times as it was enforced 
by the local forces; they are redeemed from the earth, follow 
the Lamb wherever He goes, and are a first-fruit of redemption 
to Him and to God, while they are guileless and faultless be- 
fore His throne. All this could designate only the body of the 
faithful to Christ of the day. 

4. The voice and the song, vs. 2-3. The source of these is 
not mentioned, but it is apparently not the 144,000. The words 
by which the voice and song are described are so similar to those 
that have occurred before as to call for no special comment 
(see chapter i: 15, v: 8, 9). 

5. In chapters xii-xiv there are many indications of the 
security of the Christians amid the attacks of Satan, the Em- 
pire, and the pagan religious forces. The security, of course, is 
essentially spiritual. But to make assurance and encouragement 
doubly sure, and to add confidence to hope, our attention here 
is especially directed to the body of Christians. It is done in a 
way that must have been most cheering to the suffering follow- 
ers of Christ as they perused the words. It is a repetition of the 
author's method in chapters vii and xi: 1-12. 



XXVII 



Heavenly Appearances and Announcements. Chapter xiv: 
6-20. 

1. Before the final decisive conflict takes place there are a 
number of angelic appearances each conveying an intimation 
of coming events. If we include the voice of vs. 13 and assume 
that it is that of an angel we find that the announcements are 
sevenfold and all made by angels. These angels must be clearly 
distinguished from those of chapter xv: iff and from the angels 
of the seven trumpets, chapter viii: 1 — xi: 19. 

2. Vs. 6-7. The first of these announcements is that of an 
angel who flies in mid-heaven where he may be plainly seen 
and heard. His message is the everlasting gospel and it is to be 
proclaimed to all the various peoples that make up the Empire. 
The gospel is eternal (alwviov, age-long) and is thus in direct 
opposition to the promise of temporary indulgence given by the 
Imperial powers. It is proclaimed with a voice as strong as any 
that the forces of evil can use, while it comes from a loftier 
source. 

The message itself has a number of elements. It calls on all 
A. to fear God, and B. to give glory to Him rather than to the 
Imperial power. C. It announces that the time of His judg- 
ment is come, and gives this as the reason why He should be 
feared and glorified. The Imperial powers were compelling 
people to fear and glorify the Emperor as a god. D. They are 
to worship Him who is the Creator, while the Imperial forces 
required the worship of the Imperial power (xiii: 12). While 
this angel has the everlasting gospel to preach, this message is 
not a proclamation of it. The fact that the angel has the gospel 
to proclaim shows that repentance is still possible and this is 
supported by the call to fear, glorify, and worship God. It is 
a last opportunity offered before the storm of judgment breaks, 
but few if any respond to it (xvi: 9, 11) even though the first 
four angels have poured out their bowls. This angel's message 
is also an intimation that the divine judgment is at hand and 
therefore God ought to be feared and glorified as a matter of 
prudence to escape the outpouring of His wrath, as well as be- 

163 



164 



The Revelation of John 



cause He is the Creator, and thus superior to the beast as an 
object of worship. This proclamation would then be a source 
of much joy to the suffering Christians as in the announcement 
that the time of judgment is come they would understand that 
the hour of their deliverance had arrived. Its salient nature, 
however, is that of a warning and an appeal. 

3. The second angel, vs. 8, follows the first in his flight in 
the midst of heaven, while his message tells of the fall of Baby- 
lon and the reason for it. Probably here the writer has in mind 
Isa. xxi: 9. 

What is Babylon? No doubt the churches of Asia well knew 
what was meant by the word though it has not previously been 
used in this book. The name is again found in xvi: 19, xvii: 5, 
xviii: 2, 10, 21. We recall that Babylon was a great city and 
a powerful empire that in John's time had long ceased to exist. 
It was in its day the greatest of the world's political powers, 
exceedingly rich and luxurious, yet easily destroyed (Dan. v: 
1, 30). Of course the word here cannot be understood as liter- 
ally signifying the ancient empire, because of the literary char- 
acter of the book before us, and the practical purpose which 
the author had in mind. But it would be the better as a symbol 
because of its ancient connections and the more suggestive to the 
Christian reader who would well understand the tise made of 
it, while it would also be the more confusing to the enemies of 
the Church. From the words of the angel we learn that 
Babylon is, A. great, and B. she has been grossly wicked and 
her wickedness has been world wide in its extent. Turning now 
to xvii: 5, we learn that this is the label or designation written 
on the forehead of the woman who sits on the scarlet colored 
beast. The consideration of chapter xvii which follows will 
show that Rome the Imperial city is meant by this figure. This 
city had extended her power until she had become mistress over 
the kings of the earth, and because of her religious character, 
universal sway, and opposition to the Christians, she would be 
considered as exceedingly iniquitous in the eyes of our author. 
Let it here be assumed that this is the correct interpretation, 
pending the discussion of the subject in chapter xvii. 

This angel's message must be looked upon as partly an- 
ticipatory of the actual fall of Babylon announced as having 
really taken place in xvi: 19, and partly as a declaration of the 
attitude which God had taken to her, and so as a sentence of 



Exposition 



165 



condemnation. 

4. The third angel, vs. 9-12. Here we have the third mem- 
ber of this angelic succession issuing a counter proclamation to 
the demands of the beast (xiii: 14 ff). Any who accede to 
the demands of the second beast shall meet an even more terrible 
fate than that which the beast would inflict, for in addition to 
the marks and domination of the beast he shall be under the 
wrath and curse of God. The punishment is by fire and brim- 
stone without cessation for ever, and is aggravated by the pres- 
ence of the saints and the Lamb (Christ) who had died for the 
sins of mankind, and had been denied and rejected by those 
undergoing punishment. As it is impossible on the one hand 
for any human being in this world to endure fire and brimstone 
for ever, and on the other for a spiritual (i. e. a non-material) 
being to be affected by such material substances as heat and 
sulphur fumes, the phrase cannot be taken literally, but must 
be a figurative expression to indicate the intensity and terror of 
the torment. Perhaps in this world there is nothing harder to 
bear than fire, or more destructive to all forms of life than fumes 
of sulphur. In these terrible days when obedience to the Em- 
pire meant disobedience to Christ, and vice versa, they must 
choose which they would serve. These circumstances, terrible 
as they were, gave them an opportunity to prove their character. 
The Christians who were genuine would be faithful to Christ, 
come what may, and thus the trying times would reveal the 
quiet confidence of Christ's followers and their faithfulness to 
Him. 

5. A voice from heaven, vs. 13. In contrast to the doom that 
awaits the worshippers of the beast (vs. 9-12) here we have the 
blessedness in store for the true worshipper of God. In many 
cases, no doubt, the alternative to the worshipping of the beast 
would be death, but whether that were the case or not those who 
died in the Lord from now onward were blessed. This reward 
to the faithful is made very emphatic by, first, the call of the 
voice to the seer commanding him to write, and second, by the 
response of the spirit who confirms, as it were, the words of the 
voice giving the reason for the blessedness. This reason is like- 
wise two-fold; from all their toils, weariness, and persecution 
they would be free ; and their works would go with them, i. e. 
death would not mean a break in the continuity of their lives 
nor a separation from the employments and interests of this 



The Revelation of John 



life. They would continue to be worshippers and servants of 
God. Here the issue is put before them with perfect clearness. 
Their faithfulness may bring death, but whether it does or not 
death will be a blessing. How rich in consolation would this 
be to those called upon to suffer for the name of their Lord; 
even in death they would be blessed. 

6. The harvest scene, vs. 14-16. A. White clouds were com- 
mon in the Mediterranean and Aegean skies and the white cloud 
here mentioned may have been suggested in that way. B. The 
One sitting on the cloud is 'like a son of man" and has a 
golden crown on his head. The person is doubtless the 
same as that described in chapter i: 13 (which see and also 
notes), though here he wears a golden crown. That this per- 
son is Christ is reasonably certain. C. He has in his hand a 
sharp sickle. As this was the common harvesting tool of the 
day, and as the angel proceeding from the temple, — presumably 
the place where the throne of God was located (cf. xvi: 17) — 
orders Him to cast it into the earth to reap because the harvest 
of the earth is ripe, and as He does so and instantly the earth is 
reaped, we have a clear indication of Christ's coming in judg- 
ment, a judgment that is swift and opportune. Judgment is 
always welcome to the faithful and terrible to the wrongdoer 
in as much as it brings his merited rewards to each. This pic- 
ture then would bring much encouragement to the faithful in 
Christ as it would suggest that there would be an end to the 
days of terrible suffering through which they were then passing 
and that they would have their rewards, and their oppressors 
their just deserts. 

7. The vintage scene, vs. 17-20. A. Another angel also has 
a sharp sickle and like the previous angel comes from the 
temple. B. Still another angel and the last of this series, comes 
from the altar of the temple. There is nothing to show whether 
this is the altar of burnt offering or the altar of incense, both of 
which are mentioned elsewhere, (cf. vi: 9, xi: 1, and viii: 3, 
ix: 13). This angel brings to the angelic reaper a message 
similar to that of vs. 15. C. The angel does as he is bidden and 
more. Besides gathering the vine of the earth with her clus- 
ters of fully ripe grapes, he puts them into the great winepress 
of the wrath of God, and they are trodden out. But out of 
them there comes not grape juice but blood bridle-deep on the 
horses and extending sixteen hundred stadia, (furlongs). The 



Exposition 



167 



scene is laid without the city though there is nothing to indicate 
what city. 

What is the meaning of this vintage scene? It certainly is 
figurative or symbolical. We note that it is the vine of the earth 
that is gathered, that it is cast into the winepress of the wrath 
of God, that it is blood, not grape juice, that comes out of the 
winepress, and that its amount is very great reaching bridle high 
on the horses and extending some two hundred miles. When 
these points are borne in mind and the harvest scene of the 
preceding verses is also remembered only one thing seems to be 
signified by this picture, and that is that it is a picture again of 
judgment like that immediately preceding it in vs. 14-16, but 
more emphatic and complete, coming on the Imperial power 
whose territory and domain covered practically all of the world 
as it was then known. The two-fold picture in the harvest and 
vintage will emphasize the certainty and thoroughness of the 
coming judgment. 

And the announcement is anticipatory just as the announce- 
ment of the fall of Babylon (vs. 8) is anticipatory. The harvest 
of the earth, according to appearances in the vision, or the prog- 
ress of events in the world, has not yet been gathered, for the Im- 
perial power still holds its sway in the world, but its downfall is 
certain because of its present conduct and character and that 
downfall will appear in due time. The particular form of antici- 
pation here found may be well illustrated by the case of Saul. 
Saul had disobeyed God and rejected His word and as a result 
God rejected him from being king (1 Sam. xv: 23). But Saul 
continued to be king until his death (1 Sam. xxxi: 4) though 
the Lord had previously departed from him (1 Sam. xxviii: 15). 
He was rejected and cast out by God long before his rejection 
and downfall became generally apparent through his death and 
removal from office. 

8. The general character and significance of the section 
(chapter xiv: 6-20) now becomes evident. The first angel 
brings the gospel, calls upon all to fear and worship God, and 
warns them of the impending judgment. The second announces 
the fall of the Imperial power though that fall has not yet be- 
come generally manifest. The third announces the results of 
following the Imperial religion and the fourth (a voice), the 
results of following the true religion. The remaining three 
angels are messengers in a double picture of the judgment of the 



The Revelation of John 



Imperial power, contained in vs. 14-20. All this is really ac- 
complished in that it is determined by God, but the actual over- 
throw of Rome has not yet taken place so far as removal from 
her worldly position is concerned. Thus this section is closely 
connected with the previous and following ones, and shows that 
God not only provides for His people in the awful conflict 
through which they are passing, but that He reveals to them 
its nature and result as well as their own duty, (cf. Amos iii: 7). 
The section thus becomes a summary for the whole Apocalypse 
of John, has much instruction and encouragement for the Chris- 
tians of the time, and adds considerable color and scenery to 
the book. 



XXVIII 



The Preparation for the Plagues. Chapter xv: 1-8. 

i. Another great and marvellous sign appears to the seer's 
view. It is another heptad of angels, but this time having the 
seven last plagues which complete the wrath of God. Thus 
(vs. i), we have the theme of the next section of the book 
down to xvi: 20. 

These are the seven last plagues, because they are the last 
series of calamities recorded in the book, and because in them 
God is represented as accomplishing the complete overthrow 
of the Empire (xvi: 17-20), and because therefore God's wrath 
is completed, there being no need for any further exhibition of it. 

1. Vs. 2-4. After introducing the new scene in the first 
verse, the writer turns aside to give his readers a glimpse of the 
glorious estate of those who have suffered in their conflict with 
the Imperial power. 

A. They stand on a sea of glass mingled with fire. If this 
is the same as the one mentioned in iv: 6 the element of fire is 
added. The shining brightness of the sea of glass is tinged with 
a fiery redness suggestive of the fiery persecution through which 
the persons on it have passed, and of the fiery judgment of God 
on their enemies. 

B. On this glassy sea he notices those who have been in con- 
flict with the Imperial power (beast) and have come off victori- 
ous. To the ordinary citizen of the province of Asia it would 
seem impossible to believe that anyone could be victorious in a 
conflict with this beast. But here is the party of those who 
have actually attained this distinction. References to the pas- 
sages indicated and the interpretation of them show that they 
are the Christians who have suffered. In xiii: 7 the beast makes 
war with the saints and overcomes them. This is, of course, 
the external side. The Imperial power does appear to have 
overcome the Church, but it is only in an external and super- 
ficial way that it has done so. In vs. 2 we learn that they do 
not worship him. While apparently, — and indeed actually, 
from an outward point of view, — beaten and overcome, and at 
the mercy of those in power, they are really victorious. And 
their victory is complete, including all the ways by which he 
assailed them, the way of religious observance, i. e. over his 
image, cf. xiii: 12-15, the way of trade, business, etc., i. e. over 

169 



170 



The Revelation of John 



his mark, cf. xiii: 16, 17, and the way of political power as 
centered in some official, cf. xiii: 18. 

C. The throng is not only victorious but jubilant with praise. 
They have harps which were among the most prominent instru- 
ments of praise, and they sing a song of praise to God. Their 
song is the song of Moses. There is a song of Moses recorded 
in Ex. xv, and another in Deut. xxxii. The one recorded in 
Exodus xv appears to be by far the more suitable and we there- 
fore conclude that it is the one meant here. As Moses and the 
Israelites had just gotten the victory over Pharaoh and the 
Egyptians and celebrate it in an outburst of song, so the throng 
on the sea of glass celebrate their victory. They sing also the 
song of the Lamb, which, of course, is Christ (v: 6, vi: 1, etc.). 
Thus St. John connects, without confusing them, the Old 
Testament dispensation and the New. 

D. The song is one of great interest. While not a verbatim 
repetition of that of Moses the words here may be regarded as 
a summary of it. It recognizes God as Lord, God, Almighty, 
and King of Saints, characterizes His ways as just and true, and 
His works as great and marvelous, declares that He alone is 
holy, that His judgments are apparent, and expresses the convic- 
tion that all shall fear and worship Him as well as glorify His 
name. It is at first sight surprising that there is no direct ref- 
erence in the song to the conflicts through which the singers 
have themselves passed. Neither Moses nor Christ is men- 
tioned in it. But such expressions as "great and marvellous are 
thy works," and "thy righteous acts are made manifest," might 
indicate that the singers have their own experiences as well as 
Christ's victories in mind. 

3. Vs. 5-8. The writer now returns to the consideration of 
the seven angels introduced in vs. 1. 

A. The first thing he notices is the opening of the heavenly 
temple which he calls, "the temple of the tent of the witness" 
(6 mo? rfjs (TKrjvrjs rov fjLapTvpiov) . The "tent of the witness," 
was of course, the Hebrew tabernacle which contained the 
fables of the law, the supreme witness or testimony of God. 
The language here used is very similar to that found in the Old 
Testament, e. g. Num. i: 50, ix: 15, 2 Chron. xxiv: 6. In 
chapter xi: 19 the temple, which appears to be identical with 
the one here mentioned, when opened exposed the ark of the 
covenant; now it allows the seven angels to pass out. The 



Exposition 



171 



temple was filled with smoke proceeding from the glory of God 
and His power. Smoke in great black clouds covered the top 
of Mount Sinai when the law was given (Ex. xix: 18, cf. Isa. 
vi: 4). From these and other references that might be given, 
and more especially from the fact that the smoke here proceeds 
from the glory and power of God, we may conclude that the 
smoke here is indicative of the presence of God in glory and 
strength. It also adds color to the picture and to the sense 
of the presence and awful majesty of God. Entrance to the 
temple was not possible until the series of plagues was past; 
compare the case of Moses, Ex. xl: 35, and the priests, 1 
Kings viii: 11. 

B. Seven angels come forth from the temple. That is they 
come forth from God and act as His agents or messengers. They 
have each a plague, the nature of which is explained in the 
following chapter ; they are thus messengers of God to dispense 
His judgments. They are clothed in the pure and white linen 
characteristic of heavenly beings. They wear about their 
breasts golden girdles, indicative of their royal position and im- 
portant function (cf. i: 13). 

C. Each angel receives a bowl, not a vial but a wide shallow 
cup or deep saucer that could be easily emptied, signifying the 
reception of power to execute judgment; the bowls are of gold 
which again indicates the majesty and eminence of Him whose 
mission they discharge. They receive the bowls from one of the 
four beasts, the representatives of nature (cf. iv: 6ff, v: 14. 
vi: if). Thus the powers of nature are placed at their dis- 
posal to carry out the Divine purpose, a hint as to the nature of 
the coming judgment. The bowls are filled with the wrath of 
God. In xiv: 10 the wrath of God is represented by a cup 
filled with wine which men must drink ; here it is a bowl filled 
with an unnamed substance representative of His wrath, which 
is to be poured out (xvi: 1). The One whose anger is thus 
displayed is not one like the emperor, or even like the empire, 
living for a time and then passing away ; but one who lives for- 
ever. 

4. It need only be noted further in his connection, that in 
this chapter we have a section of the book that might well have 
been included in the following chapter. It is an introduction 
to the seven last plagues described there and indicates the prep- 
aration for their execution. 



XXIX 



The Seven Last Plagues. Chapter xvi: 1-21- 

1. Vs. 1. The general command is given to the seven angels 
to proceed to the execution of their mission. As we have been 
informed (xv: 8) that no one was able to enter the temple 
while the seven plagues were in progress, we must conclude 
that the voice comes from some other creature than a man. A 
reference to vs. 17 where the voice again appears shows that it 
is from the throne and therefore presumably from God Himself. 

The seven plagues that follow have points of resemblance 
both to the ten plagues of Egypt (Ex. vii — xii) and to the 
visitations of the seven trumpets (described in chapter viii — xi). 
Dr. Swete, (The Apocalypse of St. John, p. 200) thus sum- 
marizes the relationship "The first, sixth, and ninth of the 
Egyptian plagues, and the second, third, fifth, sixth, and sev- 
enth of the Trumpet plagues are more or less distinctly in view 
here. Yet the Last Plagues have features peculiar to them- 
selves; the fourth is entirely new, the rest are more or less 
freshly conceived. On the other hand the differences are deeper 
and more suggestive. While no personal suffering is inflicted 
on Man by the first five of the Egyptian plagues, or by the first 
four of the Trumpet-visitations, he is attacked at the very out- 
set of the present cycle. Again, while the first four Trumpet- 
plagues affect only a third of the earth, the sea, the fresh water 
supply, and the lights from heaven, no such limitation appears 
in the account of the Seven Plagues now about to be described. 
They are not tentative chastisements but punitive and final." 

2. Vs. 2. The first angel goes forth and empties his bowl 
upon the land. The result is grievous sores on the devotees 
of the Caesar cult. The similarity of this plague to the sixth 
Egyptian plague (Ex. ix: 10) is evident. The plague in Egypt 
attacked the magicians also; and the parallel is the more com- 
plete when we remember that the Caesar worshippers were con- 
trolled by the magicians of the temples. 

3. Vs. 3. The second angel empties his bowl on the sea 
which immediately becomes as the blood of a dead man so that 
no living creature in it is able to survive. Here we have the first 
Egyptian plague (Ex. vii: 141?) and the second trumpet sug- 
gested as probably in the writer's mind. But while in the case 

172 



Exposition 



173 



of the Egyptian plague the fish in the river die, and in the case 
of the second trumpet the destruction is partial, here it is com- 
plete. 

4. Vs. 4. The third angel pours out his bowl upon the 
rivers and fountains from which they arise and they too be- 
come blood. While in the case of the third trumpet the third 
part only of the fresh water supply is turned to wormwood so 
that many die, here it is all turned to blood and we are not told 
the result. 

5. The reason for the second and third plagues is given in 
vs. 5-7. The angel of the waters does not resent the action of 
God but rather declares that in this God is holy and just, for 
they have spilled the blood of the saints and prophets. He also 
recognizes God as the One who was and is, i. e. the eternal, and 
declares that those who have to drink the bloody water are 
getting only their deserts in view of what they have done. The 
altar is personified and represented as replying that the judg- 
ments of God who is omnipotent, are true and just. All this of 
course adds color and impressiveness to the picture, while em- 
phasizing the events narrated. 

6. Vs. 8, 9. The fourth angel empties his bowl upon the sun, 
but instead of being partly darkened as in the fourth trumpet 
(viii: 12) a plague of extreme heat results. The result of this 
is that God is blasphemed by men who recognize Him as the 
cause of this calamity, and they do not repent of their evils or 
give Him glory. 

If we could determine the exact significance of the phrase, 
"they repented not," here and in vs. 11 below we would have 
gone a long way in the accurate interpretation of this book. 
Does it mean to be A. merely a statement of the fact that they 
did not repent, without any reference to the purpose of these 
plagues or the possibilities of their position, or B. does it mean 
that repentance was still possible for them and that they did 
not avail themselves of the opportunity to make it and escape 
from the wrath of God, or C. does it mean that these plagues 
were designed to show the powers of God, and the follies and 
evils of sin, and therefore to call evil-doers to repentance? A 
careful study will show that it is more than a mere statement 
of the fact that they did not repent. We saw that the design of 
the calamities described in the seven trumpets was to call to 
repentance, and we note that even after Babylon is declared to 



174 



The Revelation of John 



have fallen the people of God are summoned to come out of her 
(xviii: 4), that they partake not of her sins and receive not of 
her plagues. But when we remember that these are the seven 
last plagues and that their nature is destructive and final we 
conclude that the phrase implies that while repentance is yet 
possible so far as individuals are concerned, yet it is no longer 
possible so far as the Imperial power as a whole is concerned, 
nor was it expected or intended. A life and death conflict is 
going on and there is no hope that one of the two parties to it 
will capitulate by repentance now though that may still be 
possible to some extent and individuals here and there may do 
so. They rather blaspheme God as the cause of their griefs, and 
thus their hearts are hardened like that of Pharaoh. 

7. Vs. 10, 11. The fifth angel empties his bowl upon the 
throne of the beast. The result is a great darkness covering his 
kingdom, and pain so fierce that they gnawed their tongues 
because of it. The moral result was just the same as in the case 
of the preceding angels, they not only do not repent but also 
blaspheme God because of the pains, sores, and darkness from 
which they continue to suffer. 

By "the throne of the beast" we may understand the heart 
and centre of the Empire itself as is indicated in the phrase 
"his kingdom became darkened" though it is possible that Rome, 
the capital city of the Empire may be in the writer's mind. We 
are not told here what beast is meant, but if it is either of those 
mentioned in chapter xiii as is altogether probable, the sig- 
nificance is plain. On the whole the beast of xiii: iff seems 
the most likely from the discussion of vs. 13, immediately fol- 
lowing. 

8. Vs. 12-16. The sixth angel empties his bowl upon the 
river Euphrates, its waters drying up as a result; then unclean 
spirits from the mouths of dragon, beast, and false prophet go 
forth to collect all the kings of the whole world at Armageddon 
for a great battle. A parenthesis (vs. 15) is inserted calling to 
continuous vigilance. This passage abounds in interesting 
points that call for consideration. 

A. It is worthy of note that the sixth trumpet also referred 
to the Euphrates but apart from this there is little similarity 
between the sixth trumpet and this passage. In the trumpet four 
angels bound in the river are released and a great host of horse- 
men appears doing terrible damage; here the river bed is drain- 



Exposition 



175 



ed and a great host gathers for a terrible conflict. Possibly as 
Dr. Swete suggests (id., p. 205) the drying of the Red Sea 
(Ex. xiv: 21) or of the Jordan (Jos. iii: 17) is in mind, or he 
may even be thinking of the story told by Herodotus (i: 191) 
that Cyrus captured Babylon by marching into the city over 
the drained bed of the Euphrates. 

B. With the drying up of the Euphrates the way would be 
clear for the kings of the east to assemble at Megiddo the great 
battle-field. Who the kings of the east were we can only guess. 
Dr. Swete thinks that the Parthians may have been in the mind 
of the writer both here and in chapter ix: I4f. It seems quite 
as likely, however, that the seer may have in mind in both cases 
the ancient oppressors of Israel, particularly the Assyrians or 
Babylonians. 

C. The dragon is of course the hideous monster of chapter 
xii: 3ff. The beast is the wild beast of xiii: iff. But the 
identity of the false prophet requires some consideration to 
determine. We observe that here and also in xix: 20 and xx: 
10 he is associated with the beast, while in xix: 20 we read that 
"the beast was captured and with him the false prophet that did 
the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who re- 
ceived the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his 
image" These considerations make it reasonably certain that 
the false prophet is the second beast of xiii: 11-18. 

D. From the mouth of each of the dragon, beast, and false 
prophet St. John notices an unclean spirit like a frog come forth. 
While it is literally impossible for a spirit to be in material form 
like a frog, yet the figure is remarkably suitable, especially when 
we recall 2 Thess. ii : 8, In the Apocalypse the mouth has great 
power for good or ill as it is the organ of speech, cf. i: 16 
(xix: 15, 21), xi: 5, xii: 15. The spirits are unclean to John 
because they are, as he says, "the spirits of demons doing signs." 
The evil spirits come to the kings of the whole inhabited earth 
as it was known then, compelling them to assemble for a great 
final struggle. 

E. The war is that "of the great day of God the Almighty." 
Its exact nature has been described by some as internecine, and 
by others as a united battle of the forces of the world against 
God. The expression "war of the great day of God the Al- 
mighty" might mean either; but the fact that it is the unclean 
spirits from the mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet 



176 



The Revelation of John 



that bring the world forces together, not surely to fight one 
another but to fight Him whom the men blaspheme (vs. 9 and 
11); and the further fact that the whole tendency of Roman 
domination was to put down strife between petty rulers in her 
dominions, (and when all the rulers of her world-wide do- 
minion were marshalled it would not be to fight one another), 
indicates that the warfare here is against God. Also the voice 
from the throne vs. 17, the fall of Babylon in vs. 19, and her 
receiving the cup of God's fierce wrath, vs. 19, would seem to 
point in the same direction. 

F. The battle field is Har Magedon to which the evil frog- 
like spirits gather the kings with their forces for the great con- 
flict. The name given is the Hebrew name but nowhere in that 
ancient language as it has come down to us do we find the name 
in this form. The name Megiddo, variously spelled, is common 
and well known, but Har-Megiddo does not occur. The form 
here may be a transliteration either of TTJD *in or of H3D *tj} 
The first would mean Mountain of Megiddo ; the second, City 
of Megiddo. Megiddo was a town or city on the south-western 
side of the great plain of Esdraelon, and close to the range of 
hills bounding the plain on that side. This plain from time 
immemorial has been one of the world's great battle-fields. It 
was the scene of many a conflict in Bible times, (Judges v: 19- 
21, 2 Kings ix: 27, xxiii: 29, 30, 2 Chron. xxxv: 22), as well 
as since, and is therefore a suitable figure to represent the con- 
flict by which the evil forces of the world are overthrown. 

G. The parenthesis is worthy of note in that it calls atten- 
tion to the need of continuous vigilance, as God will descend 
suddenly and unexpectedly like a thief. 

H. Thus this plague is a picture of the marshalling of the 
forces of evil in the world for the great final conflict. There 
has been no repentance, but with every divine chastisement 
there has been greater determination than ever before to conquer 
the forces of righteousness and God. 

9. Vs. 17-21. The seventh bowl is poured out in the air and 
a voice out of the temple from the throne announces that the 
long expected end of Babylon has come at last: and amid great 
convulsions of nature it is seen that the world power is com- 
pletely overthrown and the fierce wrath of God is being poured 
out upon it, while men blaspheme God for the plague. 

A. The voice comes from the throne and out of the temple 



Exposition 



177 



and therefore is the voice of God (iv: 2) and so is properly 
called great, though the adjective may signify loud, or strong, 
as well. It utters but one word, — "Done," signifying that the 
object of the seven last plagues is accomplished. 

B. But the one word is emphasized by many attending phe- 
nomena of nature; there are voices, but their sources are not 
mentioned ; the thunders and lightnings add impressiveness to 
the scene. John is careful to indicate that this earthquake is the 
greatest that ever visited the earth, a point specially noteworthy 
in an age of great earthquakes such as the first century dis- 
played. The hail adds to and completes these demonstrations 
of nature, and this hail was exceedingly severe. The weight of 
each stone being about that of a talent. It is impossible to de- 
termine the exact weight of the talent as it varied in different 
times and places ; roughly speaking, perhaps an hundred pounds 
would be sufficiently definite and accurate in this case, as some 
talents were of less and others of greater weight than even that. 
An hail storm with stones of that weight would be a plague so 
exceedingly severe that no living creatures would survive it, 
unless protected by very substantial shelter. Even in the 
Egyptian plague the hail killed the herdmen in the fields (Ex. 
ix: 22ff). 

C. The moral effect of these visitations is no better than be- 
fore (vs. 9 and 11). Although it is the last plague in the last 
series and brings certain destruction to Babylon, yet Babylon's 
people, instead of repenting blaspheme God. 

D. Amidst the terrible display of natural phenomena Baby- 
lon disappears. The city, which is here Rome (as we saw xiv: 
8) as the seat of the Imperial power, is now torn asunder so 
that it is divided into three parts by the great earthquake which 
also extends its destruction throughout and even beyond the Em- 
pire, as the cities of the Gentiles fall. Every island and moun- 
tain disappears also; here mountain and island are doubtless 
expressions representing the power of Rome, so that in their dis- 
appearance the different forms which the power of the Empire 
may have assumed vanish also. Thus the overthrow is complete 
and no portion or form of the Empire is left untouched. 

10. We thus see that the section of the book comprised in 
chapters xv and xvi is a section describing judgment, and en- 
larging on the overthrow of Rome described in xiv: 14-20 and 
previously announced in xiv: 8. But it is by no means the 



i 7 8 



The Revelation of John 



whole of the judgment story. Indeed it is only the first of it. 
It is continued in the following chapters which we now pass on 
to consider. 



XXX 



Babylon Ready for Judgment. Chapter xvii: 1-18. 

1. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls of the 
wrath of God, comes to the seer in his vision, invites him to 
follow him that he may show him the judgment of the wicked 
woman who sits upon many waters and has done so much evil 
in the world. John does as he is commanded and is led in the 
spirit into the wilderness, where he sees an iniquitous woman 
sitting on a scarlet colored beast having seven heads and ten 
horns and full of the names of blasphemy. The woman is 
gorgeously attired in the most expensive fabrics and jewels, and 
holds in her hand a golden cup full of the abominations and 
filthiness of her iniquities. Her name and character are in- 
dicated by an inscription on her forehead. She is drunken, not 
with wine but with the blood of the saints and Christian 
martyrs. John marvels at the sight, but the angel proceeds to 
explain the meaning of the picture, which, though not com- 
plete is yet so clear that we can have no doubt as to its signifi- 
cance. 

2. The angel in his explanation of the picture begins with the 
beast, and it will be most convenient to follow him in this. 

A. The beast is described in vs. 3, and is exceedingly hideous. 
His color is crimson or scarlet, kokkivos, i. e. of the color pro- 
duced by kokkos, a parasite of the ilex coecifera much used for 
dyeing textile materials ; his body is full of, i. e. completely cov- 
ered with names of blasphemy, while he possesses seven heads 
and ten horns; also on the beast the woman sits. 

B. Before considering the interpretation we may notice the 
resemblance between this beast and that of xiii: iff. Both have 
seven heads and ten horns. The heads of the beast of xiii: iff 
have the names of blasphemy while the whole body of this beast 
is covered with them. One of the heads of the beast in xiii: iff 
was wounded unto death but is healed; this beast is described 
as the one that "was and is not and shall be present. ,, In the 
other descriptive details of the beast in xiii: iff we have many 
points to which nothing corresponds in the description of this 
beast, while in xiii: iff there is nothing to indicate that th« 
beast has any rider as the one here has. 

179 



i8o 



The Revelation of John 



C. In vs. 8-13 we have the interpretation of this figure, and 
while many details are not clear yet the general significance is 
plain. ( 1 ) The beast was, and is not, and yet is. This may be 
understood as referring to Nero who had disappeared (and so 
was not), but who had reappeared, not in his own person as 
many expected he would, but in the person of Domitian who 
was recognized as resembling him. Dr. Swete (Apoc, p. 221) 
gives several quotations to show this, and points out that with 
St. John living under Domitian, and unable therefore to refer 
to him by name, Domitian would take Nero's place and style 
just as John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of 
Elijah, is called Elijah by our Lord (Matt, xi: 14, Mark ix: 
13). (2) The beast's ascent from the abyss would indicate 
his exceedingly evil origin, and his descent into perdition 
(a,7rwAciav) would indicate his fate in the mind of the 'seer, 
while the wonder of the common crowd adds a touch of interest 
to the prediction. (3) His seven heads (vs. 9) are seven moun- 
tains on which the woman sits. This clearly indicates Rome, 
not the city, but Imperial Rome of which the city was the capital 
and centre, as geographically the city was built on seven hills be- 
side the Tiber. (4) The seven heads are also seven kings, five 
are fallen, one is, and the other has not yet appeared. Here we 
reach perhaps the greatest difficulty in the interpretation of this 
section and opinions of interpreters vary greatly. Where are 
we to begin and whom are we to consider as kings in making 
the enumeration ? Probably the best course is that taken by Dr. 
Swete (id., p. 220) and is substantially as follows: The Roman 
emperors in the first century are Julius Csesar, Augustus, Tiber- 
ius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Ves- 
pasian, Titus, Domitian, Nerva, and Trajan. Assuming that 
by "kings" John means emperors, it is probable that Julius 
Caesar would not be counted as he was a dictator rather than an 
emperor though he claimed the title of emperor. Besides it is 
hardly likely that he would reckon Galba, Otho and Vitellius 
among the Augustan emperors as they all passed away in one 
year and might never have been acknowledged in Asia Minor 
by the people in general. This would leave Augustus, Tiberius, 
Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Nerva, 
Trajan, and place the passage in the reign of Vespasian (A. D. 
69-79), and probably as the expression "the other is not yet 
come" suggests, towards its close when the accession of Titus 



Exposition 



181 



seemed imminent. As he reigned but two years he certainly 
continued "a little time." The eighth then would be Domitian 
who was of the same character as the seven and followed much 
the same methods regarding the Christians as did they, and 
especially Nero whom he resembled very closely as already 
stated. In this connection it may be pointed out that the ap- 
parent contradiction between the tenth verse and the acceptance 
of the time of Domitian as the date of the Apocalypse, may be 
reconciled either by supposing, first, that the writer here in- 
corporates an older apocalypse or re-edits his own work; or 
second that he purposely transfers himself in thought to the 
time of Vespasian, and thus interprets past events in a prophetic 
way, — a method common with apocalyptic writers. (5) The 
ten horns are kings (i. e. emperors) who have not yet reigned 
but will reign for short periods, on the one hand supported by 
the power of the Empire on the other agreeing in using their 
strength and authority in her interests (vs. 12, 13). The num- 
ber ten here must not be taken literally, but as the symbol of 
completeness. The period of one hour is allotted to each, — that 
is a brief time. Thus the full number of emperors determined 
by God shall come and each have his little day and cease to be, 
until the full number is complete. 

3. The woman who sits upon the beast is described and in- 
terpreted. 

A. She is described as very iniquitous, having sinned with 
the kings of the earth and made its inhabitants drunken with 
the wine of her evils; she sits upon a scarlet colored beast (vs. 
3) and many waters (vs. 1); she is attired in the most ex- 
pensive and luxurious way; she bears in her hand a golden cup 
full of her iniquities, and on her head a name written indicat- 
ing her character, while she is drunken with the blood of 
Christ's saints and martyrs. 

B. It does not take many words to explain the meaning of the 
woman after what has been said about the beast. "The woman 
that you saw is the great city which has dominion over the 
kings of the earth," vs. 18. After what has been said about the 
beast and its significance only one interpretation is possible for 
this, — namely Rome, the city. She was a great city; she sat 
upon the seven mountains, the seven heads of the beast; her 
power had extended over practically all of the world as then 
known; she was exceedingly vile, especially when viewed from 



The Revelation of John 



a Christian standpoint, her evil character being conscious, open, 
and flagrant, and thus fittingly represented as emblazoned on 
the woman's forehead ; and she was mad with the passion to 
exterminate the Christians, many of whom she had already put 
to death. 

4. The seer observes that the woman while sitting upon her 
beast is also sitting upon many waters. These are not described 
more minutely but are interpreted (vs. 15) as peoples, multi- 
tudes, nations, and tongues, that is, of course, of the Empire. 

5. But in all this picture there is an element of doom. The 
beast ascends out of the abyss and goes into destruction (vs. 
8 and 11). The ten horns shall be overcome by the Lamb (vs. 
14). Even the emperors that shall arise over the destinies of 
the Empire shall hate the great city of Rome, make her desolate 
and naked, and burn her with fire. We know indeed that the 
emperors were no true friends of Rome. They feared it, hated 
it, reduced its liberties, took away its power, murdered its lead- 
ing citizens wishing (like Caligula) that the whole Roman 
people had a single neck so he could sever it at a stroke, and 
(like Nero) laying the city in ashes. Thus the Imperial city 
in her luxury and iniquity would be called upon to suffer the 
just judgment of God, which would assail her both from within 
and without. While the Lamb should overcome them even 
their own emperors would be inspired to do the will of God 
(vs. 17). What a source of comfort this must have been to 
the oppressed Christians of Asia Minor as they were assured 
that their great persecutor, in spite of her power, luxury, and 
iniquity, must submit to the will and purposes of God who was 
stronger and greater even than Rome. 

6. In this chapter we have a picture of Rome as she appeared 
to the seer and as she really was,-— powerful, proud, rich, wick- 
ed, the queen and mistress of the earth yet ready for destruction, 
and subject to God who is supreme and will one day destroy 
her for her wickedness. The following chapter tells of her 
overthrow. 



XXXI 



Babylon's Fall. Chapter xviii: 1-24. 

1. Vs. 1-3. Still another angel descends from heaven. He 
is very powerful and his glory is so great that the earth is 
brightened thereby. He repeats the announcement of Baby- 
lon's fall already given (xiv: 8). And not only has she fallen, 
but demons, all foul spirits, and all unclean and hateful birds 
dwell in her. Her fall is a moral and spiritual one and not a 
military defeat by a more powerful foe. She has been cast down 
by her own wickedness, which she has extended far and wide; 
luxury and iniquity have been her overthrow. Every student 
of Roman history knows that this is the real reason for the fall 
of Imperial Rome. There is therefore no need to dwell on the 
point further than to call attention to the clearness with which 
the seer discerned its approach. 

2. Vs. 4-20. A voice is now heard from heaven instructing 
God's people to come out of Babylon lest they partake of her 
sins and punishments. 

A. The voice may be that of God, as the expression my peo- 
ple (vs. 4) would suggest, or that of an angel of the Presence 
as such expressions as "the Lord God" (vs. 8), and "God has 
judged" (vs. 20) would indicate. 

B. The instruction is to "Come forth, my people, out of her." 
This, of course, cannot imply that they were to leave the Empire 
and take up their abode in some remote region of the world. 
But it calls upon them to practise disentanglement and aloof- 
ness from the sins of the Empire. 

C. The reason why this command should be obeyed is given, 
— to avoid participation in her sins and plagues. This is ex- 
plained at greater length to vs. 20, but may be summed up in 
the words of the fifth verse, "Her sins have reached unto the 
heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." More spe- 
cifically, because her sins are very great, and God remembers 
them (vs. 5) and will give to her full punishment (vs. 6-8). 

D. The command to punish her (vs. 6-8) must be understood 
as addressed, not to God's people, but to some agency of de- 
struction, possibly her own kings (xvii: i6ff). 

E. The principle of the punishment as stated here must not 
be considered as vindicative, but as the divine law of punishment 

183 



The Revelation of John 



in such cases. The lex talionis is common in the Old Testa- 
ment, and sometimes the evildoer was required to pay double 
as here (cf. Ex. xxii: 4, 7, 9, Isa. xl: 2, Jer. xvi: 18). 

F. The certainty and measure of her punishment is guaran- 
teed by the character of God. He is "strong" (vs. 8) and this 
fact is emphasized by the position of the adjective in the sen- 
tence. Thus the decreed penalty shall be inflicted and it shall 
come with terrible severity and all the more certainly because 
she did not expect it. 

3. We have now a series of dirges over Babylon's fall, vs. 
9-19, uttered apparently by the same voice as vs. 4-8. The 
whole passage may have been suggested by Ezekiel's lamentation 
over Tyre (Ezek. xxvii). 

A. In vs. 9-10 we have the lament of the kings of the earth 
over Babylon's (Rome's) fall. By the term kings here as in 
xvii: 18 we may understand either (1) the subordinate and 
allied princes, or (2) the wealthy and luxurious who were 
(according to Ramsay) often so styled in the common speech 
of that time. The kings of client-states in Asia Minor and 
Syria also visited Rome as occasion required. Each and all of 
these were, of course, more or less involved in the spirit and 
evils of Rome. These are represented as lamenting for Rome, 
but standing at a safe distance themselves to avoid danger. 
They have shared in her iniquities and favors, but can do noth- 
ing to help her in the day of her doom. 

B. The merchants of the earth add their contribution to the 
lament for Rome (vs. 11 -16), while, like the kings, they stand 
at a safe distance. What these chiefly regret is not Rome's 
downfall so much as the loss of their market. An immense 
trade from all parts centered in Rome which was the world's 
great market in that day. The list of articles here given shows 
the great length to which wealth and luxury had gone in that 
city, especially as slaves and souls of men are not exempted. 

C. A third class — the mariners — add their lament in vs. 
17-19. Like the others they keep a safe distance but mourn the 
passing of the one who made them rich and note the suddenness 
of her downfall. 

4. The Church is called upon to rejoice over her (vs. 20) 
and we may believe, not in any vindicative way, but because 
God's purposes have been accomplished and she is freed at last 
from her scourge, by the just judgment of God. 



Exposition 



185 



5. As if all this were not enough to impress the certainty and 
completeness of the fall of Rome on the reader a further pic- 
ture is added in vs. 21-24. 

A. An angel takes up a stone like a great mill-stone, casts it 
into the sea, to show how Rome shall perish, i. e. violently, 
quickly, completely. The violence is especially mentioned, and 
the completeness is dwelt upon at length. 

B. The reason for her overthrow is given also (vs. 23, 24). 
It is her deception of all races of people by her wickedness, 
and her murders of the Christians and even of all who were 
put to death in the world, all of w^hich was done through her 
extensive commerce. 

6. Here we have a picture of the coming downfall of Rome 
as an outward organization or monstrous creature in the world. 
Her overthrow as a religious and political force is later de- 
scribed (chapter xix: 11-21). 



XXXII 

The Thanksgiving to God. Chapter xix: i-io. 

Here we have the great thanksgiving to God following the 
overthrow of Babylon, and at the same time a glimpse of the 
position of His followers. 

i. The great crowd of people in heaven praise God, ascrib- 
ing to Him glory, honour, and power, and recognizing the jus- 
tice of His act in judging, condemning, and destroying Rome; 
vs. 1-3. There is nothing to indicate clearly whether this is the 
church on earth or an angelic host. 

, 2. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall 
down and worship God, adding their "Amen" and "Hallelu- 
jah, " representing of course, the Church and nature. 

3. A voice from the throne, vs. 5, is probably that of an 
angel of the Presence. The language precludes the idea of its 
being that of God. The voice calls on all the servants of God 
to praise Him, whatever their status. This probably includes 
both the angelic hosts and the earthly church. There seems to 
be no way to determine whether this crowd is the same as that 
of vs. 1, or not. 

4. Their answer is a mighty torrent of praise to God es- 
pecially because A. He reigns, and B. the marriage of the 
Lamb and His bride is at hand. It is interesting to note that 
the crowd in vs. 1 praises Him for the judgment He has dis- 
pensed, while here the reason is His sovereignty and the ap- 
proaching marriage of the Lamb. Here we have another in- 
stance of the same principle as we saw in xiv: 8. The mar- 
riage is announced as at hand, and in one sense really had 
come, though the conflicts of xix: 11 -21 and the thousand years 
of xx : 2 as well as the other events of chapter xx, transpire 
before the bride appears in xxi: 2. The attire of the bride is 
mentioned as fine linen clean and white, which is understood 
to signify righteousness. This contrasts sharply with that of the 
wicked woman (xvii: 4, xviii: 16). 

5. The angel (of xvii: 1) now addresses the seer and gives 
him instructions to write that these who are summoned to this 
marriage supper of the Lamb are blessed, and the angel adds 

186 



Exposition 



187 



also that these words are God's true sayings. This solemn claim 
to truthfulness does not, as Dr. Swete (id., p. 248) points out, 
imply the literal fulfilment of all details, as we must remember 
that we are dealing with an apocalypse, which must be in- 
terpreted and understood differently from ordinary narrative. 

6. The seer is so completely overborne by the greatness of 
the revelation that has been given him that he prostrates him- 
self in worship before the angel who has shown it to him. This 
however he is forbidden to do, saying that he also is one of his 
fellow servants and one of Christ's faithful followers: there- 
fore the seer should not worship him but God. 



XXXIII 



The Victor and the Slain. Chapter xix: 11-21. 

The sky opens and John sees a warrior going forth with his 
army. An angel invites the fowls of heaven to feed upon the 
slain. The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies 
assemble to 1 join battle with the warrior. The battle is fought, 
the warrior is victorious, his opponents are taken and destroyed, 
and the birds are filled with their flesh. 

Here a number of features call for our consideration. 

1. The warrior is clearly and beautifully pictured, and the 
different elements in the sketch must be noted. 

A. He rides a white horse. This probably has no more 
significance than to suggest the purity and victory of the war- 
rior and to give color to the picture. The rider is not the same 
as that in chapter vi: 2, although there is some outward sim- 
ilarity. 

B. The name of the warrior is "faithful and true.' , In iii: 
14 we have the expression "the faithful and true witness" which 
undoubtedly designates Christ. In i: 5 Christ is especially 
designated as "the faithful witness." And while He is not here 
called a "witness," but is given a military description, the pre- 
sumption is that the name will here apply to Him, as no one 
with whom the seer could be acquainted would be so well en- 
titled to the name or designation. 

C. In righteousness He judges and makes war. No doubt 
the writer has in mind the prophecy of the Messiah in Isa. xi: 
3, 4, where He is pictured as both a judge and a warrior. When 
we also recall the corrupt methods of eastern courts and tri- 
bunals and the injustice often meted out to the Christians we 
have further evidence that this is meant to be a description of 
Christ, as all earthly judges and military men were apt to be 
unjust in their judgments and in the reasons for their military 
campaigns. Furthermore in 1 Tim. vi: 15 Christ is designated 
as a Potentate (Svvdarrjs) , and thus would have power both to 
judge and make war, and in John v: 22 Christ Himself de- 
clares that God has committed all judgment unto Him. 

D. His eyes are as a flame of fire. A comparison of this 
with i: 14 and ii: 18 where the designation is certainly applied 

188 



Exposition 



to Christ makes it reasonably clear that it is to be understood 
as applying to Him here. 

E. He wears many diadems on His head. This is a new des- 
ignation, though the dragon (xii: 3) and the wild beast (xiii: 
1 ) each wore diadems. It is impossible to think that they are 
meant by the warrior here. While Christ has not before been 
represented as wearing diadems yet it is eminently suitable that 
he should be so represented, as He is more worthy than either 
the dragon or the wild beast, and He had already achieved not- 
able victories over temptation, death, etc., while none were as 
worthy as He to rule. 

F. He has a mystic name. This also has not been previously 
mentioned of Christ, but it is quite in line with what we 
might expect in such a description of Him as we have before us. 
Besides, the faithful in Pergamum were to receive a new and 
mysterious name (ii: 17), the 144,000 had their Father's name 
written in their foreheads, and the iniquitous woman had a 
similar designation (xvii: 1). While, therefore, we cannot find 
in this an evidence that the warrior is Christ, yet we can see 
in it nothing contrary to that view and something to support it 
as He is thus represented as superior to, or at least the equal 
of others in the things that clothe Him with awe. 

G. He is clothed with a garment spattered with blood. There 
is considerable uncertainty as to the exact text and its transla- 
tion here, but in view of vs. 15, the rendering "spattered" seems 
best. The garment spattered with blood has in it nothing that 
distinctively marks its wearer as Jesus Christ, but it is in har- 
mony with the other features of the picture of the victorious 
warrior and if it is found that we have here a picture of Christ 
this will not contradict it. 

H. His name is called the Word of God. In view of John 
i: iff and 1 John v: 7 the presumption is in favor of the view 
that this name is a designation for Christ; and although the 
Gospel and Epistle are probably later than the Apocalypse the 
conception may have taken shape in the writer's mind. 

I. He is followed by the armies of heaven clothed in fine 
white linen and riding on white horses. The white horses and 
fine linen again would suggest purity and victory. The armies 
of heaven here must mean the angelic hosts and not the sun, 
moon, stars, etc. The saints follow Christ as the Lamb (xvii: 
14), but these seem not to be saints but angelic hosts. Again, 



The Revelation of John 



while the evidence is not absolutely conclusive the presumption 
is that the armies of heaven would follow only one who was 
worthy. Michael fought with his angels (xii: 7) and Christ 
could have more than twelve legions of angels if necessary 
(Matt, xxvi: 53). The presumption here again then, is that 
the warrior is Christ. 

J. A sharp sword proceeds from His mouth. This marks 
His warfare as unique and carried on by the power of evidence, 
argument, truth, etc., rather than by physical prowess. The 
similarity of the picture with that in i: 16 can not be overlooked. 
As Christ's warfare is carried on not so much by physical 
prowess as by testimony, evidence, and the power of truth, and 
as i: 16 certainly refers to Christ, we conclude that here we have 
a clear indication that the warrior is Christ. With this sword 
he is to smite the nations. This seems rather severe treatment 
to come from one who has often been referred to as the Lamb 
in this book. But we must remember that it agrees with the 
rest of the picture of a warrior riding out to battle, and also is 
in accordance with the judgment that Christ brings into the 
world (John iii: 19, 20). 

K. He is to rule the nations with a rod of iron. This is a 
promise to the overcomers (ii: 27) and to the woman's son 
(xii: 5), who, if correctly interpreted, is Christ. Thus this 
clause points to Christ as the warrior. 

L. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God 
the Almighty. The figure of the winepress is a familiar one in 
this book (cf. xiv: 8, 10, 19, xvi: 19). We learned in con- 
sidering chapter xiv: 17-20 that the winepress of the wrath of 
God is a picture of judgment. Here we learn that it is the 
warrior who is "treading the winepress, and therefore executing 
judgment. While it may seem again rather incongruous to 
think of Christ as exercising judgment yet it is in accord with 
the description in vs. 11 and 12, which we found pointed strong- 
ly to Christ. This passage then means that He executes God's 
judgments in the world. 

M. The name written on His garment and on His thigh, — 
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,— leaves no doubt whatever 
that Christ is meant, when we remember that He, as the Lamb, 
is so designated in xvii: 14 and also in 1 Tim. vi: 15. 

N. There can be no reasonable doubt on the whole, after 
our consideration of the description clause by clause, that the 



Exposition 



191 



author wishes us to see in the warrior a picture of Jesus Christ. 
There is really nothing in the description against this though 
there are some features that at first glance might seem to be 
against it. But there are so many points that are clear and 
strong that we can have no doubt as to the meaning. 

2. The angel standing in the sun can be little more than a 
feature designed to give color to the scene, but in this it is very 
effective. The readiness with which vultures and similar birds 
flock to feed on dead bodies is well known. But the greatness 
of the coming slaughter of the enemies of Christ and the Church 
is shown by, A. the angel's standing in the sun, where he could 
reach the greatest possible area; B. his calling to all the birds 
flying in mid-heaven; C. the great voice with which he calls; 
D. the different classes enumerated in vs. 18; and E. the fact 
that it is called "the great supper of God." These features add 
much to the impressiveness of the picture. 

3. Vs. 19 tells of the assembled hosts of Christ's enemies. 

A. The beast may be either the beast of chapter xiii: 1-10, 
or the beast of chapter xvii on which the iniquitous woman sits. 
But a careful examination will enable us to see that it is the 
beast of chapter xiii, that is here meant, though that of xiii: 
1 -10 and that of xvii are both representative of Imperial Rome, 
as we have already seen. But it seems better to identify this 
beast with that of xiii: 1-10 because of his association with the 
false prophet in the following verse, — and we have already iden- 
tified the false prophet with the beast of xiii: 1 iff, (see dis- 
cussion of xvi: 13) ; and because it suits better the plan of this 
part of the book. In xiv: 8 we have the announcement of the 
fall of Babylon; in xvi: i6ff Babylon is overthrown in the great 
battle of Har Magedon; here (xix: 19-21) Babylon as rep- 
resented in the beast and the false prophet is overthrown; 
while in xx: iff Satan, the dragon of xii: 3ft is himself bound. 

B. The kings of the earth. This may mean either the em- 
perors, or rulers of provinces, etc., or persons eminent because 
of their financial, social, political, military, or religious positions 
and thus able to control the forces of the Empire. 

C. Their armies, no doubt are the military, financial, social, 
political, religious, and other forces of the Empire controlled 
by those in positions of authority or leadership. 

D. The false prophet is not mentioned in the list of forces 
enumerated in vs. 19 but he is evidently there as we learn from 



192 



The Revelation of John 



vs. 20. 

Thus all the forces of the Empire are represented as as- 
sembled for the great conflict. 

4. The conflict itself is not mentioned or described, though 
its existence is implied clearly in vs. 20 and 21. 

5. The result of it, however, is given. 

A. The beast and the false prophet are taken and both cast 
alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. In xxi: 8 
we learn that the second death is not the lake burning with fire 
and brimstone, but the portion of those cast into the lake. This 
is clear from the original Greek. But in xx: 14 the second 
death is clearly defined as the lake of fire itself. In xx: 10 we 
learn, also from the original, that the beast and the false prophet 
who had previously been cast into the lake of fire, are both, with 
Satan, to be tormented forever. This is evident from the plural 
form of the verb, "they shall be tormented. " In xiv; 10 it is 
clear that fire and brimstone are instruments of torment. We 
conclude then, that the fate of the beast and false prophet here 
mentioned is not annihilation but a condition in which they 
would have unending torment and also, of course be shorn of 
their power. 

B. The rest, — that is the kings of the earth and their armies, 
were slain with the sword of the warrior. This with the closing 
words of the verse, that all the birds were filled with their 
flesh, shows that in the case of the kings of the earth and their 
armies the result of the conflict was complete destruction and so 
different from the end of the beast and the false prophet. 

C. All the fowls are filled with their flesh. This of course 
completes the figure of the great supper announced in vs. 17 
the chief function of which is to give color to the scene but 
which also would help to confuse the enemies of the Church 
and prevent their understanding of the book. 

6. Here we have a description of the overthrow of Rome 
as a political organization (the beast) and a religious system 
(the false prophet). It now appears that Christ is the one by 
whom she is conquered, and the one who dispenses to her the 
righteous judgment that she so richly merits. This he does 
riot in any outward or physical way, but by intellectual arid 
spiritual methods,— the word which proceeds out of his mouth. 
The overthrow is complete and permanent and will be carried, 
to the very instigator of the evil, Satan himself. 



XXXIV 



Final Conflicts and Victories. Chapter xx: 1-15. 

We come now to the last scenes in the picture of the over- 
throw of the evil powers that for so long had afflicted the 
Church and blasphemed God. 

1. In vs. 1-3 we have the binding of Satan pictured. 

The angel descending from heaven with the key of the abyss 
and a great chain in his hand, laying hold of the dragon, bind- 
ing him, and casting him into the pit, is of course just the 
apocalyptic way of speaking of God's power in overthrowing 
the dragon, which is here plainly declared to be Satan himself. 
He is not yet slain or destroyed, but simply imprisoned for a 
thousand years, i. e. not for a literal period of a thousand years, 
but for a long definite period which is complete according to the 
purposes of God. He had been cast out of heaven already 
(xii: 9), now he is cast out of the earth to his own place the 
entrance of which is closed and sealed. When the time of his 
imprisonment is fulfilled he shall, however, be allowed to go 
free. 

2. The first resurrection. Vs. 4-6. 

A. What can this be ? Let us note that it is distinctly against 
the principles of apocalyptic interpretation to assume that it is 
a literal coming to life of those who were literally dead. We 
may also observe that the Greek word here usually translated 
"resurrection" is avdaraais and literally means a standing up, 
or rising up, and is so used in Luke ii : 34. Also we should note 
that this avdcrracns, whatever it is, is confined to the martyrs 
and confessors of Christ and the rest of the dead have no part 
in it (vs. 4 and 5). Furthermore, although the Roman Em- 
pire and its persecutions of the Christians have long since passed, 
we have no historical record of any who, since the time of John 
rose from the dead literally. Still again, the vision presents a 
state in which Christ and His followers are in a position of 
authority, living and reigning. And if we have been right in 
our view that the previous nineteen chapters of the book deal 
with human affairs, then it seems reasonable to conclude that 
this one does also. The second death has no power on those who 
have part in the first resurrection. The cry for vengeance on 
those who dwell on the earth, of the souls under the altar in 

193 



194 



The Revelation of John 



vi : 9 would not be satisfied by a mere return to life. 

The question will come, is it possible to find any interpreta- 
tion which will do full justice to all these points, and will also 
be in line with the interpretation we have given the rest of the 
book? The answer to such a question must be yes, — for if we 
here understand avdaraai^ in its literal sense as a "rising up" 
and take it to be a description of a reformation in the country 
in which there was a reversal of the old order, we have a con- 
ception which appears to meet all the conditions required. Chap- 
ters xvi, xix tell us of the passing of Rome, and the old order; 
this passage, if this view is correct, tells us of the establishing 
of a new one. It is the newer, fuller, and more exalted life of 
the Church in union with Christ after her blasphemous op- 
ponent and persecutor is destroyed. It is a picture of society in 
which Christian sentiment rules and positions of authority and 
influence are filled by Christians rather than by pagans and 
persecutors as in the days of John. Perhaps the best word to 
describe it is uprising though arising, awakening, or renaissance 
would be almost as good. It is the constructive side of reforma- 
tion in the country and age,— the destructive side, in which the 
old is condemned and discarded, being described in this case 
in the sixteenth to the nineteenth chapters. This view is strictly 
in accord with the principles of apocalyptic interpretation, gives 
a fair and reasonable meaning to the Greek word avdaramsy is 
in harmony with the interpretation adopted for ail the proceed- 
ing chapters, and is fully in accord with the answer given to the 
martyred saints who cry for vengeance (chapter vi: 9ff). On 
this view we have here a prophecy of a time to come when 
political and social conditions would be the exact reverse of 
what they were in John's day, — when Christ would reign in- 
stead of Caesar, and Christians instead of their persecutors, when 
justice would be meted out to all and the evil be overthrown. 

The first resurrection is therefore the newer, fuller, and more 
exalted life of the Church in union with Christ after her perse* 
cutor and blasphemous opponent is destroyed. 

B. The first resurrection is only for the faithful of Christ 
(vs. 4) and they are both blessed and holy (vs. 6). Also judg- 
ment is given to them. In view of verses 1 1-1 5 and the general 
sense of this passage the judgment must mean that they are the 
recipients of judgment frorn a judge, justice now being done 
them, and not that they are dispensers of judgment, sitting as 



Exposition 



195 



judges or a court of judgment. We may well believe that in 
this verse the seer has before him the Church collectively, rather 
than a number of particular individuals. 

C. The first resurrection implies a death, especially in view 
of vs. 4 and vs. 14. What is this death? It may be first the 
death of the Christians referred to in vs. 4; or second the pass- 
ing of the old order and especially of Rome as pictured in the 
chapters immediately preceding; or third it may be the living 
death of continual persecution that fell to the Church. Prob- 
ably the correct view would include all of these. It is impos- 
sible that it could be the death that ordinarily falls to human 
beings as the normal and ordinary end of life for that is seldom 
in view in the book and not at all in this passage. 

D. The rest of the dead do not again live till the thousand 
years are finished. The rest of the dead, on the view here 
adopted must be those who were outside the Church, the great 
heterogeneous mass of people that made up the Empire either 
in their individual or corporate capacity. 

E. We may find historical fulfillment of this in the new age 
beginning with the conversion of Constantine and the Empire. 
Probably however there is some approach to a chronological 
order in the visions of this part of the book, in which case the 
overthrow would precede the ascension of the Church to power 
and prestige. For a long time before the conversion of Con- 
stantine the power of the Empire was weakening and the new 
era came as its climax and result.. But even if the historical 
sequence of events was in the author's mind as the great scenes 
before us were penned, we must not press it too far. It is rather 
the working out of great principles that he foresees, and while 
these will follow an historical order in a general way, yet they 
will be so interwoven that they cannot be entirely dissociated. 

3. The last great conflict. Vs. 7-10. 

A. At the end of the thousand years Satan is to be loosed 
from his prison and is again to go forth to deceive the peoples 
of the world. This of course is an apocalyptic picture of a new 
issue in which the powers of the world are aroused by Satan, to 
attack and overthrow the Church. The future tense is used, 
for while the language and description is apocalyptic it is here 
prophetic as well. The thousand years of the domination of 
the Church is of course the same as the thousand years of the 
imprisonment of Satan. 



196 



The Revelation of John 



B. The thousand years have made no change in Satan's 
methods, for as soon as he is free once more he is again at his 
old work of deception. His activity is world-wide and the 
movement among all peoples is not directed by an imperial 
policy but by a common impulse. 

C. The nations or races of the world are called Gog and 
Magog, and here the two are no doubt parallel. According to 
Ezek. xxxviii, xxxix, Gog is the prince of Meshech and Tubal, 
and Magog is his land. Scholars differ as to the tribes or races 
intended originally but it seems reasonably clear that they are 
here synonymous with the races of the world or the chief among 
them or their rulers. 

D. The number of the hosts is very great. This is indicated 
by the statements that it is as the sand of the sea, and that 
they go up on the breadth of the earth. 

E. They encircle the camp of the saints and the beloved city. 
These two expressions are apparently parallel, meaning the 
Church, though the expression, the beloved city might be un- 
derstood as referring to Jerusalem either as the historic centre 
of the Hebrew and Christian religion, or as a reference to the 
Hebrew element in the Church. 

F. The progress of the battle is not given nor is it even stated 
that there was a battle. The multitude is destroyed by fire from 
heaven, which of course means, overthrown by the power of 
God without any particular effort on the part of the Church. 

G. The Devil who deceived them is cast into the lake of 
fire, to be tormented day and night eternally with the beast and 
the false prophet. 

H. The whole passage (vs. 7-10) is of course a figurative or 
apocalyptic description of what the seer regards as the last con- 
flict between the world and the Church. Stripped of its 
apocalyptic coloring it simply means that after the Church of 
Christ has been in control for the divinely appointed time her 
position would be challenged by the world and a universal at- 
tempt would be made to overthrow her. This however would 
end in failure, and the supremacy of the Church would be 
finally established while the evil power in the world would be 
finally overcome. We must remember that this conflict is on the 
earth (vs. 8, 9), that it has no connection with the Roman 
supremacy which has already passed (xix: 19-21) and that it 
finally settles the power of Satan in the world. This makes 



Exposition 



197 



it refer to something that does not seem yet to have happened 
in the world but to something which may happen and that, in 
the not very distant future, — when the powers of evil will make 
a last great struggle against righteousness, as expressed chiefly 
in the Church though not necessarily confined to the outward 
organization of that name, but rather to the Church as it is 
sub specie eternitatis. In as much as Satan is not annihilated in 
the lake of fire but is tormented continually, we may conclude 
that when that time comes evil will not be unknown but will 
be so thoroughly mastered and so vigorously opposed that it will 
be able to accomplish little or nothing of its old devastation in 
the world. When that time will come we cannot tell, but the 
fact that the Christian Church is now alert and active as she 
has probably not been for many centuries might indicate, that 
before long it may appear. 

4. The judgment. Vs. 11-15. 

A. The great white throne and its occupant recalls iv: 2 
where the vision began with a throne and its Occupant. Here, 
as there, the name of the occupant is not given, but we have 
little difficulty in determining that point from the statements 
made regarding him. Heaven and earth flee before his face 
(vs. 11) ; all the dead both great and small stand before the 
throne (vs. 12) ; the whole picture leads us to believe that he sits 
as a judge (vs. 12 and 13) although it is not actually said that 
this is the case ; also frequently in this book God is looked upon 
as a Judge, (cf. vi: 10, xvi: 7, xix: 2). In view of all these 
points we must surely say that the throne is the throne of God 
and that God Himself is its Occupant, sitting as a Great Judge. 

B. The heavens and the earth flee before the face of the 
Judge on the throne. What are these? In the light of the 
meaning of the passage generally we may assume that they are 
the old order, which is described as having lasted a thousand 
years. This is confirmed by a reference to xxi : 1 , the only other 
passage in the book where the two words occur together and are 
used in the same sense. 

C. The dead, are the people of the past, the Christians as well 
as the non-Christians. 

D. The books that are opened are of course the records or 
the recollections of what these people were in their lives, and 
especially of their deeds. The other book, which is the book of 
life, evidently contains a record of those who are righteous as 



The Revelation of John 



we learn from iii : 5 and xiii : 8. This book of life is not a roll 
of the elect who are living at the time of this judgment as it is 
the dead that are judged and to whom reference is here mani- 
festly made. 

E. The dead are judged. The sentence is passed on them, 
and the verdict is according to their works as these have been 
recorded in the books. While God is evidently the occupier of 
the throne it is not definitely said here that He is the one who 
pronounces the sentence though the general sense of the words 
would lead us to think so. It is not said, either, how the judg- 
ment or sentence is expressed. The whole tenor of the passage, 
when taken in connection with the whole of these two chapters 
(xx and xxi) as we have been led to interpret them, would in- 
dicate that the judgment is expressed by the aroused attitude of 
the people of the time in which it takes place. We have here 
the second "uprising" which, as we saw in the case of the first, 
is an advance to new and higher life and a judgment on and 
condemnation of the past. 

F. The sea, death, and Hades, all give up their dead. That 
is, all the people of the past are included, none left out. 

G. Death, Hades, and all not found written in the book of 
life are cast into the lake of fire to share the fate of the beast 
and the false prophet in unending torment. 

H. This lake of fire is the second death, and as we learned in 
our study of xix: 20, a state of unending torment in which the 
tormented are also shorn of their power. Into that state death 
and Hades are now cast. Again keeping in mind the fact that 
this book is an apocalypse, the aim and purpose which its author 
had in mind, and the interpretation we have reached so far, as 
well as the characteristics of this punishment (lake of fire) can 
we find anything in human experience that corresponds to it, 
or may be fairly signified by it? Yes we can. Every "up- 
rising" of a people or a race is characterized, not only by the 
destruction of the evil but also by a continuous verdict of con- 
demnation pronounced on it by all future ages. We have not 
yet ceased to condemn the evils of slavery, nor the evils of the 
Spanish inquisition, nor the iniquities of the persecution of the 
early Christian Church, nor will a people who have knowledge 
of their previous history and an increasing sense of Christian 
ideals ever cease to denounce them. This then, we conclude, 
is the lake of fire which the seer here describes. This second 



Exposition 



199 



death of course has no power over those who steadfastly opposed 
the evil in the days when it was supreme; such were blessed, 
having part in "the first uprising." 

I. The second death seems to imply a second uprising, even 
as the first uprising implied a first death. This second uprising 
is of course the advance to the newer and higher life gained by 
the destruction of the evils which have been condemned and 
destroyed. 

5. In this chapter of the book we have a picture of the final 
overthrow of the evils that assailed the Church. By the capture 
and disposition of the beast, the false prophet, and Satan (xix: 
20, xx : 3) the Church reaches such a position of freedom, au- 
thority, and influence that the world is no more deceived by 
them. This is the first great step in advance and it is held 
for a long time described here as a thousand years. At the end 
of this long period the powers of evil, which have been held in 
subjection by the influence of the Church, will again attempt to 
assert themselves and a great struggle will ensue, the result of 
which will be an overthrow of the powers of evil so complete 
that they never again will be able to assert themselves, but un- 
broken peace and bliss shall prevail. This is described in xxi: 
i-xxii: 5. 

The question arises, has this stage been reached in the Chris- 
tion dispensation and if so when? The answer is, that if we 
accept the change that took place in the time of Constantine as 
a fulfillment of the first resurrection, the second does not seem 
yet to have been accomplished, but the time in which we now 
are appears to be such that it may result in such an issue. The 
vigor of the different branches of the Christian Church as ex- 
pressed in world-wide missionary activity, opposition to the 
liquor traffic, the application of the gospel to the removal of 
all social, political, commercial, and other evils, and the promo- 
tion of social righteousness of every sort; the rise of the peace 
movement and the new sense of international justice, as 
well as the continued emphasis on the necessity for personal and 
individual purity, seems to show that the final conflict may be 
at hand. > Indeed it may be possible that one phase of it 
has just come in the form of the great European war, 
which is certainly the greatest since the time of Na- 
poleon and probably the greatest in the world's history. It 
seems certain that the Church is facing her duty as never before 



200 



The Revelation of John 



and is grappling with the evils in the world as never in the past. 
If the present rate of progress can be maintained for a century 
or two it looks as if the days pictured in the latter part of this 
chapter will have come. 



XXXV 



The New Heavens and the New Earth. Chapters xxi: I- 
xxii: 5. 

We now reach the last great section of the second vision, and 
of the book, — a passage that must have been rich in comfort 
and encouragement for those to whom it was originally written, 
and which has been of inestimable benefit to all Christ's people 
since. It contains an account of a new heaven and earth, the 
most notable feature of which is a magnificent city. His ser- 
vants serve Him and among them He dwells abundantly supply- 
ing their every need. 

1. Let us note, in the first place, that the description here 
cannot possibly be ever literally realized in this world. No city 
comes down from the skies as this one is represented as doing, 
but is built up on the earth. The names on the gates and 
foundations are improbable. It is beyond belief that the founda- 
tions of the city wall should be of the precious stones named, or 
that the streets should be pure gold, or that it should be a per- 
fect cube, every edge of which is some 1,500 miles in length 
(and especially is it beyond belief that a city should extend that 
distance into the air). Much more improbable is it that a city 
of that size should be made of pure gold. Then if it is in the 
world it would have day and night, even though its artificial 
illumination were so brilliant that night would scarcely be rec- 
ognized. Indeed the more this description is studied the more 
impossible does its actual literal fulfillment appear. And not 
the least objection to such a view is the statement that each of 
the twelve gates is of a single pearl — can pearls as large as this 
ever be found? — and the difficulty of finding anywhere in the 
world a suitable situation for such a city. 

2. But the impossibility of any literal fulfillment of this in 
the world taken in connection with the general nature and pur- 
pose of the book as we have found it so far, and the nature of 
this description itself, make it an admirable picture of a bliss- 
ful condition in the future in the literal world. 

3. A. The new order. Vs. 1-8. The first verse taken in 
connection with xx : 1 1 seems to mean that a new order appears 
in the world, the old order having passed away. The sea, as 

201 



202 



The Revelation of John 



in xiii: I would be a fit picture of that great agitated mass of 
unregenerated humanity out of which national and social move- 
ments come, and it has passed away. 

B. This new order in the world is pictured more particularly 
by a city, called the holy city, the new Jerusalem, which is 
spoken of as coming down from God out of heaven. Jerusalem, 
of course, was the centre of the Jewish religion, and also in a 
very real sense, the centre and source of the Christian religion 
since it was there that our Lord was crucified (xi: 8), but 
spiritually it might be described as Sodom and Egypt and thus 
would be a fair representation of the nature of the world in 
John's day. To call the central feature in the new order the 
new Jerusalem would therefore mark it as essentially religious 
in the true sense of being itself pure. This is confirmed by its 
coming down from God out of heaven, and beautifully adorned 
like a bride for her husband. As this city is described more fully 
in vs. 9-xxii: 5 we may defer its further consideration till we 
come to that section. 

C. In vs. 3 John hears a great voice out of heaven announc- 
ing that God now dwelt with men. The voice is doubtless that 
of an angel of the Presence (as in xvi: 17 and xix: 5) and not 
that of God Himself. This surely makes it clear that the new 
order is on the earth. The words of the verse in at least three 
distinct phrases point this out, ( 1 ) u The tabernacle of God is 
with men" and not that the tabernacle of men is with God, 
(2) and He shall divell with them, not, they shall dwell with 
Him, (3) and He shall be with them, not, they shall be with 
him. Besides this the verse all through shows the closeness of 
relationship between God and His people that will characterize 
the new order. We may observe here a slight difference in the 
significance of the word "heaven" in verses 2 and 3 where it 
signifies the skies and stands for the invisible abode of God and 
His angels from its meaning in vs. 1, where it indicates the 
earthly order. 

D. The closeness and richness of the relationship of God to 
His people in the new order is further indicated in vs. 4, as 
wiping all tears from their eyes. This would be especially con- 
soling to the persecuted Christians to whom John wrote, as 
their tears must have been abundant. And this consolation 
would be much enriched by the words that follow, assuring 
them that in that new order there shall be no more death, sor- 



Exposition 



203 



row, crying, or pain, all of which they were forced to bear con- 
tinually. 

E. The words of vs. 5 further confirm our conclusion that 
a new order on the earth is meant. Here we read that the One 
who sat on the throne (cf. iv: 2, xx: 11, 12, etc.) and of 
course is God, said, "Behold I make all things new." The "all 
things" as John and the Church would understand the ex- 
pression, would particularly mean all things earthly. 

F. Lest there should be any doubt as to the certainty of this 
coming to pass, John adds in vs. 6-8 the assurance he received 
that it would certainly happen. The Occupant of the throne, 
— God Himself who is the First and the Last, and thus able to 
carry out His promises, — speaks and declares He will do it 
giving the thirsty to drink freely of the water of life and the 
overcomer an inheritance in this blissful order but all evil-doers 
their portion in the lake of fire. 

4. In the remainder of this chapter and the first five verses 
of the next, this city, the new Jerusalem is described more in 
detail. One of the seven angels of xv: iff carries John away 
in the spirit to a great and high mountain where he sees it. 

A. As early in the book as iii: 12 this new Jerusalem was 
mentioned. A holy city had been mentioned in the Old Testa- 
ment (Dan. ix: 24) and Jerusalem was thus designated in the 
time of Christ (Matt, iv: 5 and xxvii: 53) but it was in ruins 
when this book was written. Paul and his school had in mind 
a heavenly city similar to that which John here describes (Gal. 
iv: 26, Phil, iii: 20, cf. Heb. xi: 10), and it may have been 
from these passages or from non-canonical Jewish writings 
which abound in the hope of an ideal Jerusalem, that the writer 
got his suggestions for this passage. 

B. The new city descends out of heaven from God (vs. 2 
and 10) by which her divine character and purity are signified. 
She is actually described as holy in vs. 10. 

C. She is said to be prepared as a bride adorned for her hus- 
band (vs. 2) which probably designates her beauty, especially 
spiritual beauty. Also she is described as "the bride, the wife 
of the Lamb." The Lamb of course is Christ as we have al- 
ready seen (v: 6, xiii: 8, xiv: 1, etc.). The thought of a divine 
marriage is common in the Old Testament (see Hos. ii: 19, Isa, 
liv': 5f, Ezek. xvi: 8f). In the New Testament we find similar 
thoughts regarding Christ and the Church (see Mark ii: 19, 



204 



The Revelation of John 



Matt, xxv : iff, Matt, xxii: 2ff, John iii: 29, 2 Cor. xi: 2, Eph. 
v: 25, 32). John in this book makes use of these ideas as far 
as they suit his purpose, and we find him speaking of the bride 
and her attire, the marriage and the supper, (xix: 9, xxi: aff, 
xxii: 17). That the redeemed and purified race of people form- 
ing the new order is spoken of as the bride of Christ, must be 
understood as indicating the closeness of their relationship to 
Christ and their preciousness to Him as well as His care and 
love of them. 

D. The splendor and excellence of the new order and its 
people are expressed by a lengthy description of the magnificence 
of the city, its glory and light (vs. 11), wall (vs. 12, 14, 17-18), 
the twelve gates (vs. 12, 13), its perfect symmetry (vs. 16), it§ 
richness (wall of jasper, — -vs. 18; city of pure gold, — -vs. 18; 
foundations garnished with precious stones, — vs. 19, 20; the 
gates each of a single pearl,— vs. 21 ; street of pure gold, — vs. 
21). The things not needed in the city also show the splendor 
and excellence of the new order;— no temple for God and the 
Lamb are its temple (vs. 22), has no need of sun or moon, for 
the glory of God and the Lamb supply it with light (vs. 23), 
and it has no night (vs. 25). The peoples and their kings bring 
their glory and honor into it, while its beneficient light falls on 
the nations of the saved (vs. 24, 26). This elaborate descrip- 
tion of the riches and grandeur of the city adds much to the 
coloring of the scene and the impressiveness of the picture. 

E. The new order includes all that is good. Again this is 
graphically and impressively shown in this wonderful picture. 
The names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel are 
written on the gates (vs. 12), and the twelve apostles of Christ 
on the foundations (vs. 14), God and the Lamb are in it (vs. 
22, 23), the nations walk in its light (vs. 24), while they and 
their kings bring their glory and honor into it (vs. 24, 26), the 
throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and His servants 
serving Him (xxii: 3), seeing His face, and marked as His 
(xxii: 4). Even the river of life and the tree of life are there 
(xxii: 1, 2). Indeed all whom Christ recognizes as His are 
there (xxi: 27). 

F. The new order excludes air that is evil (xxi: 27). 
There is no night there (xxi: 25), nor curse (xxii: 3), nor 
death, sorrow, weeping nor pain (xxi: 4), nor any evil-doer 
(xxi: 8). 



Exposition 



205 



G. The people in that new order rule, and their rule is 
eternal (xxii: 5). This would seem to mean that the govern- 
ment is a form of democracy with God and Christ at its head. 

H. The new order is catholic, the gates of the city standing 
open always on all sides (xxi: 25). 

I. Possibly the form of the city as a perfect cube (xxi: 16) 
may suggest the solidity, stability, and permanence of the new 
order. As a stadium was some 600 feet we have the city almost 
1,500 miles to the side, a size unthinkable for any actual city 
and fitting only for a symbol of greatness. 

5. If the view here taken, that this section presents a picture 
of an ideal condition to be realized in this world, is correct, it is 
plain that up to the present it has not been fully realized, though 
if the apparent rate of progress made during the past century in 
the world by the Christian forces can be maintained for a few 
more centuries, it may be approximated to some extent. But 
we must remember that however much this is considered as an 
ideal to be realized in the future, it is presented to the suffering 
Christians to whom John writes as an ideal for their encourage- 
ment and one in which they were to have a part ; chapter xxi : 
7, 8, shows this to be the case. Along the same line, though less 
conclusive, are the words (of xxi: 24) "the kings of the earth 
bring their glory into it." As we look at the picture we must 
admit that much in it was fulfilled in the Christianity of those 
days and in the ages that have since intervened. Perhaps the 
words of Dr. Swete (Apocalypse of St. John, p. 302) best sum- 
marize the matter, "The Holy City which passes before the 
mind of St. John is the Ideal Church as conceived in the purpose 
of God and to be realized in His own time. So far as this 
conception is purely spiritual the powers by which it can be 
converted into actuality have been in the possession of the 
Church from the first, and the results are manifest in the moral 
triumphs of Christianity. Already the many colors of the New 
Jerusalem and the flashes of its crystal luminary may be seen 
by those whose eyes are not closed against the heavenly vision ; 
men slake their thirst in the River, and nations find healing in 
the leaves of the Tree. But as a whole the ideal is still far 
above us, nor will it be reached till a new age is inaugurated by 
the Lord's Return." To the extent in which the Christians 
of John's day had come into living fellowship with Christ, 
turned from evil, and faithfully did their Lord's will even in 



206 



The Revelation of John 



the face of hardship and death they had a part and share in it ; 
and to the extent in which we do the same we have a share. But 
although it has been in the world in some degree all these cen- 
turies, blessing the world and doing it good, yet its full realiza- 
tion in the world can not come until all the evils, now so plenti- 
ful and arrogant, are forever banished and righteousness covers 
the earth as the waters the sea. For that time we must wait, 
but we will wait with confidence and hope, actively and earnest- 
ly striving to do His will, and remembering that His word shall 
not pass away and that the promise is certain and the reward 
sure. 



XXXVI 



The General Conclusion. Epilogue, xxii: 6-20. 

1. The end of the visions vouchsafed to John has come, the 
splendid picture of the New Jerusalem forming their culmina- 
tion. Only the closing words remain to be recorded, and this 
is done in the portion of the book now before us. 

2. The chief difficulty in this portion of the book is to de- 
termine the speakers. Is it, for instance, the same person who 
utters the words of vs. 6 and vs. 7, and again the words of vs. 
9-1 1, and vs. I2f. Various views are possible. 

A. It may be argued that the speakers are different and that 
John is not careful to distinguish them, e. g., that the "he said" 
at the beginning of vs. 6 refers to the angel of xxi: 9, 15 and 
xxii: 1, while vs. 7 is the words of Christ. Similarly in vs. 
9-1 1, and vs. I2f. Certainly in vs. 16 we have the words of 
Christ. And it must be admitted that this would be in general 
accord with the situation presented in the book. But it seems 
impossible that the words of vs. 7 should be spoken by the angel 
unless we are to understand them as referring to a coming for 
him like that spoken of in the book so often as the coming of 
Christ. Similarly with the words of vs. 9-1 1 and 12. But 
when we come to vs. 13 and 16 it is impossible to believe the 
angel could have used them of himself and they must be the 
words of Christ either spoken directly or on His behalf by 
another. 

B. However, another view is possible. We must recall the 
words with which the book opens (i: 1) "The Revelation of 
Jesus Christ . . . and he sent and signified it by his angel, 99 
also the words of xxii: 16, "I Jesus have sent my angel to testify 
to you. . . ." These show that the revelation was given 
through the mediation of an angel, and in xix: 10 and xxii: 8 
John recognizes the presence and assistance of a mediating angel. 
Also we must remember that the mediating angel in xxii: 9 
claims to belong to the class of prophets, and various Old Testa- 
ment prophets spoke for God in the first person without in- 
dicating that the words were other than their own, e. g. Isa. 
xli: 1-13 following Isa. xl: 28-31 is a passage of this class and 



207 



208 



The Revelation of John 



it is not till we reach xli: 14 that we learn that the words are 
God's, spoken on His behalf in direct narration by the prophet. 

C. Perhaps the best solution of the problem is by a combina- 
tion of both of these views. In vs. 6 the "he said" at the begin- 
ning seems clearly to refer to the angel as the speaker while in 
vs. 7, the same angel continues to speak but on behalf of God, 
using the first person for the sake of vividness. In vs. 8 John 
is certainly speaking but the mediating angel is at hand, speak- 
ing again in vs. 9, continuing to the end of vs. 1 1 but with vs. 
12-15 again speaking on behalf of Jesus, though using the direct 
narration once more. With vs. 16, Jesus Himself seems plainly 
to be speaking directly. But who speaks the words of vs. 17, 
18, 19, and 20, Jesus, the angel, the seer, or someone else? On 
the whole the most reasonable and natural view seems to be 
that we have the direct words of Jesus in vs. 16, that in vs. 
17-19 the words are those of John reporting further what he 
has also heard, while in vs. 20 we have the response of the seer. 
If this view is correct it will help us to understand the sig- 
nificance of the passage and its meaning. 

3. Several points in this section call for comment. 

A. The certification of the genuineness of the revelation is 
noteworthy. First, the angel indorses the revelation, describing 
the sayings as faithful and true. He further declares that it 
originates with God, is given through His angel, and is for the 
benefit of His servants that they may know what is soon to come 
to pass (vs. 6, ioff). Second, the seer indorses it, declaring 
that he saw and heard these things (vs. 8). Third, Jesus Him- 
self indorses it (vs. i6ff ) declaring that He has sent His angel 
to bear this testimony to them and enhances His testimony by 
adding some of His characteristics. All this certification would 
increase the authority and interest of the book for those to whom 
it was sent,— those in the churches (vs. 16). 

B. The openness of the revelation is mentioned. It is not 
to be sealed (vs. 10). This is in striking contrast to the in- 
struction given to Daniel (viii: 26 and xii: 9). The circum- 
stances are the very reverse of those in Daniel, however, for 
there the time was far distant while here it is at hand. 

C. The exhortation to read and study the contents of the 
book is given and a blessing pronounced on those who do so 
and keep what is there told them (vs. 7, 14). Thus the book 
ends as it began (i: 3) with blessing on its devout students. 



Exposition 



209 



D. The repeated assurance of the immediate fulfilment of 
what is stated in the book. It was given to show to His servants 
the things that must shortly come to pass (vs. 6). He comes 
quickly (vs. 7, 12, 20). The time is at hand — indeed so near 
at hand that change is impossible as the habits and attitude of 
people are fixed now, and no further opportunity will be given 
for repentance or apostacy (vs. ioff). Here again the book 
ends as it began (i: 3). As this is the last thought in the book 
but the final benediction, and as it is very emphatic because of 
its frequent repetition, and as the value of the book both for 
those to whom it was first addressed and for people of all time 
afterwards, is greatly affected by the fulfilment of this declara- 
tion, we should ask whether it has been fulfilled or not. Must 
we say that still He has not come though more than eighteen 
hundred years have passed since this repeated promise of His 
speedy return was given? Perhaps it might even be said that 
a large part of the Christian Church has ceased to look for His 
coming. And if the Apocalypse fails on this point which seems 
open to the test of history, what of the other matters of the book 
that we cannot test ? There can be no serious doubt that on this 
point the words were intended by their author, and would be un- 
derstood by their first readers in their natural, literal, obvious 
sense, which certainly would not be eighteen hundred or two 
thousand years in the future. If this is the coming of Christ 
referred to in this book it is long since past, though He has not 
yet come again in bodily form. Indeed none of the many as- 
surances of His coming in the book say that He is to come in 
bodily form. And if some of the scenes depicted seem to imply 
that, let us remember that we are dealing with an apocalypse 
which must be interpreted differently from ordinary narrative. 
We have seen that the Christian Church of John's day and es- 
pecially the Christians to whom he wrote this book, were in the 
midst of a great crisis of such tremendous importance that the 
world's future depended on it. Paganism and Christianity were 
in a life and death conflict and the issue was one that would in- 
fluence every age after it. In the light of the results of that 
prolonged and terrible conflict surely it is not too much to say 
that Christ was in it, — that He came and was coming when the 
words of our author were penned, going forth conquering and 
to conquer. In that conflict Christ and Christianity lay hold 
on the world so that the Gospel triumphed. And all who fol- 



2IO 



The Revelation of John 



lowed Christ and like Him endured the shame, the persecution, 
and the cross reigned with Him. This could not have been if 
Christ had not come in those awful years; and surely it consti- 
tutes a coming of Christ, quite as real and important as His 
first coming in Palestine less than a century before. This is the 
Coming of Christ and this the triumph of His Cause that John 
prophesied throughout the book, and his ability to see and de- 
clare it was what made him a prophet of God and his apocalypse 
a real prophecy. 

E. The penalty for adding or taking from the things that are 
written in this book is strongly asserted (vs. 1 8, 19). It may 
have been suggested by Moses' words in Deut. iv: 2. Writers 
sometimes protected their works by adding a solemn warning to 
the scribe to correct carefully his copy. If the words before us 
are intended in this sense they have not been completely success- 
ful as there are many manuscript variations in the text of the 
Apocalypse. We may be sure, however, that the charge was 
intended to go deeper than this and to include the deliberate 
falsification or misrepresentation of the divine message. While 
no honest copyist, translator, or interpreter would incur the 
penalty because of unintentional errors, yet the warning should 
restrain from all levity in handling the book. 

F. Several characteristics of Christ are mentioned in the 
passage (1) He is spoken of as the first and the last (vs. 13) 
by which His infinitude is signified. In some passages of the 
book the expression seems to be used of God as distinct from 
Christ (e. g. xxi: 6 and perhaps also in i: 8), but in others (i: 
17 and xxii: 13) Christ seems plainly to be meant. Either John 
does not distinguish closely between the Father and the Son in 
this book, or he identifies the Son with the Father as in John 
x: 30. (2) He is the root and offspring of David (vs. 16, cf. 
v: 5 and notes), another way doubtless of expressing His in- 
finitude. He is the beginning and end of the whole Davidic 
household and the great realization of its hopes. (3) He is the 
bright, the morning star (vs. 16). Just as a star of exceptional 
brightness precedes the sunrising and thus ushers in the day, so 
He ushers in the new Day of God. We now see that the 
promise of ii: 28 was that Christ would impart Himself to the 
overcomer. (4) He brings His reward with Him (vs. 12, 17). 
The magnificence of Christ loses nothing in the closing sentences 
of the book. 



Exposition 



211 



G. The response to the announcement of the immediate com- 
ing of Christ is general and hearty, (i) The spirit (vs. 17) 
repeats it. By irvzv\xa (spirit) here we should probably under- 
stand, not the Holy Spirit in the strict or general sense, but 
rather the Holy Spirit as expressing Himself in prophetic utter- 
ances, the spirit that inspired to spiritual and prophetic discern- 
ment. (2) The bride (vs. 17, cf. xix: 7, xxi: 2, 9) of course 
is the body of Christ's people. (3) The seer himself (vs. 20). 
(4) Besides all who hear and all in need are invited to come. 

H. Those who keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book 
(vs. 7) and those that wash their robes (vs. 14) are declared to 
be blessed. Of course only real Christians could be of either 
class. In vs. 14 two reasons are given, first, that they may have 
the right to the tree of life, and second, that they may enter by 
the gates into the city. The city is apparently that of xxi: 1 — 
xxii: 5 and the tree of life that of xxii: 2. Here, too, we see 
the meaning of the promise given to the overcomer (ii: 7). 
Those not blessed are the evil doers of all sorts who are exclud- 
ed and classed with the dogs (cf. Ps. lix: 6, 14). 



XXXVII 



The Final Benediction, xxii: 21. 

This remarkable and exceedingly interesting and instructive 
book closes with the benediction. While this sort of ending was 
unusual in apocalyptic writings it is particularly suitable here 
since this book, as Swete remarks (id., p. 313), while an 
apocalypse in inner character and a prophecy in purpose, is an 
epistle in form. The saints are the people of holy and con- 
secrated life both in the cities of Asia and throughout the world. 
The source of their excellence and the guarantee of their future 
is only the grace of Christ. Of this the benediction is a re- 
minder, and a prayer that they may realize it. 



212 



PART III 



THE CORRELATION OF THE INTERPRETATION 



It only remains for us to correlate and summarize the results 
of our interpretation of this splendid book. 

Leaving out the introduction (i: 1-8) and the conclusion 
(xxii: 6-21) we have found that the book is made up of two 
great visions. In the record of these we have the things that 
John saw and was instructed to write (i: 11, 19). Both visions 
are visions of the things that are and of the things that shall be, 
but in different ways. 

The first vision is a vision of Christ in the midst of the 
churches. In it He is revealed in all His magnificence as among 
the churches to which the book is to be sent, while His mes- 
sages to them reveal the closest knowledge of their several states 
and the keenest appreciation both of their merits and defects. 
These churches are, in part at least, the things that are (vs. 
19) and their several fates, as revealed in these letters, also 
are, in part, the things that shall be. 

In the second vision (iv: 1 — xxii: 5) we have also an account 
of the things that are and the things that shall be, but of a 
different kind. While in the first vision attention was directed 
to the churches in their relation to Christ, in this vision the 
great theme is the state and destiny of the Church and the 
Roman world. There is no detailed scrutiny of the Church as 
in the first vision, but the Roman world is dealt with from 
various points of view and its essential nature clearly set forth, 
while the Church is considered as a whole. 

The first scene in the vision is that of the throne of God who, 
rather than Caesar, is shown to be supreme in the world (chap- 
ter iv). In His hand He holds the Book of Destiny which no 
one is able to open until Christ appears, and to Him it is en- 
trusted (chapter v). He proceeds to open the seals one by one 
until all are opened. These seal-openings, we found, revealed 
the condition of the Roman world and the Church as it ap- 
peared to the mind of John, — the first four showing the real 
condition of the Empire, and the fifth that of the Church, both 
being the very opposite of what they appeared to be to the out- 
ward eye, the Empire suffering from various ills though seem- 
ingly prosperous, the Church robed in white and blessed of God 

215 



2l6 



The Revelation of John 



though apparently crushed to death. The sixth seal-opening 
shows the general conviction that the time of Divine judgment 
is at hand. Of course the first thought is of the fate of the 
Church in such an event. The seventh chapter shows that pro- 
vision is made for her so that she will not suffer at all, being 
sealed against all spiritual evil and having all her needs supplied. 
Then the seventh seal is loosed and the Book of Destiny is fully 
open. 

After an half-hour's silence, which adds emphasis to the com- 
ing events, the out-pourings of Divine wrath begin and continue 
throughout the series of the seven trumpets (viii: 2 — xi: 19). 
These seven trumpets reveal events similar to those of the seal- 
openings, but they are considered from a different angle. In- 
deed they may be the very same events, but while there they 
were merely considered as facts revealing a certain condition of 
the Church and the Empire, here they are considered as Di- 
vinely ordered and expressing a Divine purpose — a call to re- 
pentance; but the people do not repent. Therefore the next 
stage is that of judgment as expressed in the seventh trumpet, — 
destruction for those that will not repent and reward to the 
saints. In all this the Church receives the Divine revelation, 
witnesses faithfully, and is triumphant and victorious in spite 
of seeming defeat and destruction (x: 1 — xi: 14). 

In the section xii: 1 — xx: 5 the judgment of the seventh 
trumpet is enlarged, the different aspects of it given in detail, 
and the whole embellished with much color. Rome is pictured 
as the embodiment and expression of Satan (chapter xii), as a 
hideous beast (xiii: 1-10), and as a monster with extraordinary 
powers (xiii: 11-18), while the Church is assembled with Christ 
(xiv: 1-5), and announcement is made that the time of judg- 
ment is come and Rome has fallen (xiv: 6-13). This judg- 
ment includes the harvest of the world (xiv: 14-20), the pour- 
ing out of the wrath of God on the impenitent (xv: 1— xvi: 
21), and consequently the passing of Rome (xvii— xviii), all 
of which are impressively pictured at length. The calamities 
of the bowls are similar to those of the seals and trumpets,— 
perhaps the very same phenomena are represented by them, — - 
but their purpose is now punitive, and they are final. After the 
overthrow of Rome there is a great thanksgiving to God, while 
Christ completes the victory. The Church then advances to a 
higher life, and after a long period of prosperity and a final 



The Correlation of the Interpretation 217 



conflict with Satan sees the final overthrow of the powers of 
evil (chapters xix, xx). 

The vision closes with a vivid and beautiful picture of the 
Church in her final estate of bliss and peace with God (xxi — 
xxii: 5). 

In the book of Revelation we have a remarkable combination 
of characteristics. First. It is an epistle in outward form, hav- 
ing at the beginning the name of the author and those to whom 
it is sent (i: 4) ; the reason for this form is also given (i: 11, 
xxii: 16). Second. It is an apocalypse in literary character and 
so describes itself (i: 1, notes). Third. In its essential nature 
it is a prophecy, and even claims to be such (i: 3, xxii: 7, 10, 
18, 19). It has all the directness and adaptation to the distinct 
needs of those to whom it is written of the epistle, all the weird 
mystery and extraordinary scenery of the apocalypse, all the 
clear exposition of the Divine nature and of His will and pur- 
poses for the world of the prophecy. It is therefore admirably 
adapted to discharge its great purpose of inspiring the Christian 
communities of Asia Minor, and particularly those of them to 
which it was primarily sent, with hope and faith in their long 
period of severe persecution. 

This comfort and encouragement is chiefly based on the dis- 
tinct teaching of the book on four great themes, viz. God, 
Christ, the Roman Empire, and the Church. 

I. God is the Giver of the revelation contained in the book. 
He is very great and magnificent, eternal, omnipotent, thrice 
holy, wise, glorious, true and just in His ways, and the King 
of saints. He is declared to be worthy to receive glory, honour, 
power and praise, while salvation is ascribed to Him. He is the 
Creator of heaven and earth and all things in them, whose works 
are great and marvellous, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Ruler of the nations who has taken to Himself His great 
power and reigns. He dispenses judgment both to the evil and 
the good and His judgments are true and righteous, so that all 
get their just deserts. He is Lord and God who shall be 
universally worshipped. Here is a remarkable and worthy pic- 
ture of God, a picture that could not fail to inspire His suffer- 
ing people in Asia Minor with courage and hope. That such 
an one is infinitely superior to the Roman emperor in every 
way, and especially as an object of worship, is self-evident. 

II. Christ has a large place in the book. Indeed it is the 



2l8 



The Revelation of John 



revelation of Him. He is the faithful and true Witness, the 
First-born of the dead who lives for ever and has the keys of 
death, Hades, and David, so that He can open and no one can 
shut and shut and no one can open. He is the Son of God, 
magnificent and eternal, holy and true, the Beginning of the 
creation of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, yet a Lamb that 
is the Root and Offspring of David, the bright and morning 
Star. His word is so keen and powerful that it is able even to 
kill His enemies and smite the nations. He is worthy to receive 
power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory, and praise. 
Though coming in the clouds and the One whom all shall see, 
over Him all tribes of the earth shall mourn. He is a glorious 
Conqueror who is the Victor in every conflict with Satan or the 
Empire, who wears many diadems on His head, and in righte- 
ousness judges and makes war. He is a great Leader whom the 
armies of heaven follow. Though very magnificent, with His 
eyes like flames of fire, His countenance like the sun, and His 
feet like pillars of fine brass, He yet loves the Church and her 
people, has loosed many from sin and redeemed them by His 
blood from all kindreds, tribes, tongues, and peoples, making 
them a kingdom of rulers and priests to God who share the 
government of the world and the priestly service of God with 
Him who is the Prince of the kings of the earth and the One 
to whom glory and dominion forever are ascribed. He is in the 
midst of the churches and knows their condition and works, 
appreciating their virtues and disapproving their vices. He 
rebukes and chastens those whom He loves, assuring those who 
overcome of great rewards and those who fail of severe punish- 
ments. This was their Saviour, their Leader, and their King 
before whom all the great ones of Rome sank to insignificance. 

III. Rome and her people have a large place in the book. 
Whether she is considered as a great city reigning over the 
kings of the earth and with which they have heinously sinned ; 
or whether she is considered as an assemblage of peoples, na- 
tions, and tongues ; or whether she is looked upon as a political 
power or a religious organization worshipping the emperor as 
her god; she and her peoples are consistently represented as the 
very opposite of what they should be according to the will of 
God. Ugly and monstrous to an extraordinary degree, exceed- 
ingly evil and forcing her evil character upon all the peoples 
under her influence, having great power, and yet the wonder of 



The Correlation of the Interpretation 219 



the world and the object of its worship, she is represented as the 
very incarnation and instrument of Satan. She persecutes the 
Church, resists the gospel, fails to repent of her evils even when 
mercifully pressed to do so by the outpourings of Divine wrath, 
and continues in her iniquities until she must be overthrown by 
God. Yet she suffers much from various kinds of torment, such 
as earthquake, drought, famine, pestilence, and war. Her peo- 
ple are convinced that the time of Divine judgment is at hand, 
and their apprehensions are well founded for she is overpowered 
by the just judgment of God and falls in utter overthrow 
never to rise again. She is greatly lamented, but her smoke 
rises up for ever and ever. Thus is described the character and 
destiny of Rome. Indeed her complete destruction is already 
determined by God, or rather she has herself determined it by 
her own character and conduct. Although often in the vision 
spoken of as having actually occurred, her fall was still an event 
of the future for the Christians of John's day, though necessarily 
determined and assured by her character and conduct then. 

IV. The Church of the day and its people also have a large 
place in the book. Those who hear and read the book and keep 
the things written in it are declared to be blessed. It is to the 
Church and its people that the book is sent. They are sum- 
moned to leave the iniquities of the Empire, are redeemed from 
the earth by the blood of Christ, are made a kingdom of ser- 
vants, priests, and prophets of God and reign with Him. 
Though suffering temporarily they are yet sealed and guaran- 
teed against any real spiritual injury from demons or otherwise. 
Though they have come out of great tribulation their bliss is 
great, for they are attired in white, commune with Him, 
and desire to know how long it will be before their blood 
is avenged. They praise God in His temple and sing be- 
fore His throne. They keep the commandments of God 
and the faith of Jesus, and follow the Lamb wherever He 
goes. They receive the revelation of Christ and witness 
for Him in the world. Even in death they are blessed. 
While collectively as the Church they are closely scrutinized by 
Christ and their shortcomings faithfully indicated, He keenly 
appreciates their virtues. The Church is glorious, the bride of 
Christ, and when assembled on Mount Zion with Him is de- 
clared to be without defect. Rome passes away but the Church 
triumphs and dwells in the city of God, reigns for ever and 



220 



The Revelation of John 



ever, and enjoys eternal bliss with Christ her Lord. As the 
condition of Rome was really the reverse of what it appeared 
to be to the outward eye, so it is with the Church and the people 
of God. She is apparently persecuted, crushed, and dead ; but 
really she is the bride of Christ, living and reigning with Him 
and gloriously triumphant, though it will be only in the future 
that her triumph will be generally manifest. 

What inspiration to faith and courage such teaching as this 
would bring to the church of that day we can well surmise. 
God the supreme and glorious Emperor of the universe and not 
Caesar; Jesus Christ the ever-present Saviour who was dead 
but always lives, the glorious Conqueror who reigns continually 
with His people in the world ; Rome, apparently mistress of the 
world but even then fallen by her iniquities and doomed to 
utter extinction; the Church, redeemed from the world, cleansed 
from sin, robed in righteousness, communing with God, the 
bride and companion of Christ, kept from all real harm and 
triumphant then and at last, her people blessed even in death, 
though persecuted and apparently done to death in the world ; — 
can it be doubted for a moment that such teaching as this 
must have exercised a powerful influence in enabling that same 
Church to endure hardness, be faithful even unto death, and 
conquer the proudest and most powerful empire the world had 
ever seen after a conflict lasting nearly three centuries ? With- 
out the help of this book the battle might perhaps have been 
won, but the church of that time would certainly have been 
much weaker, the fight might have been longer, and the whole 
Christian world then and since would have been poorer indeed. 

And is not such teaching just what is needed to inspire the 
Church of every age to courage and faith and enable it to tri- 
umph over its foes? In every age it has its enemies to fight 
and its conquests to make. Is it not always weakened by de- 
fect and greatly in need of just such encouragement and help 
as this book brought to the Christians of the latter half of the 
first century? Seeing the meaning of the book in at least a 
general way, we are in a position to apply it in our own case. 
And what faithful follower of Jesus Christ but is helped by 
the knowledge and cheered by the assurance that God is supreme 
in the universe rather than Satan and sin; that Jesus Christ, 
though He died in apparent disgrace on Calvary, ever lives, is 
the world's Saviour, the sure Conqueror, and the eternal King; 



The Correlation of the Interpretation 221 

that the kingdoms of evil even though they may seem to be 
world-wide and all-powerful, have even now fallen and are 
doomed to pass away; and that the people of God, though few 
in number, greatly despised, and continually called upon to 
suffer greatly in the world, are really the world's heroes, tri- 
umphant in their life and reigning with Christ. Inspired and 
encouraged by the great truths of this book the Church of every 
age will go on conquering and to conquer, strong in the knowl- 
edge that her labor is not in vain, that the Lord God omni- 
potent reigns, and that in His own good time the kingdoms of 
this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. 



APPENDIX I 



TRANSLATION OF THE REVELATION OF JOHN 

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, 
to show to his servants what must quickly come to pass; 

2 and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, who 
bore witness of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus 

3 Christ, of as many things as he saw. Blessed is he that reads 
and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the 
things written therein, for the time is at hand. 

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia; grace 
to you and peace from him who was and is and is to come, and 

5 from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from 
Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, 
and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us 

6 and loosed us from our sins by his blood, and made us a king- 
dom, priests to God and his father, to him be the glory and 

7 the dominion for ever and ever; amen. Behold he comes with 
the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they who pierced 
him, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even 
so, amen. 

8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord, the God, 
who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. 

9 I John, your brother and partner in the tribulation 
and kingdom and patience of Jesus, was in the island called 

10 Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was 
in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great 

11 voice as of a trumpet saying, "What you see write in a book 
and send to the seven churches, unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna 
and unto Pergamum and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and 

12 unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea." And I turned to see 
the voice that spoke with me ; and when I turned I saw seven 

13 golden lamps, and in the midst of the lamps one like a son of 
man clothed with a garment down to the feet and girdled 

14 around the breast with a golden girdle; his head and his hair 
were white as wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a 

15 flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass as if refined in a fur- 

16 nace, and his voice as the voice of many waters; and he had in 
his right hand seven stars, and a sharp two-edged sword pro- 
ceeded from his mouth, and his face was as the sun shines in its 

225 



226 



The Revelation of John 



1 7 strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead ; and 
he laid his right hand on me saying, 'Tear not; I am the first 

1 8 and the last and the living one, and I was dead and behold I am 
living for ever and ever, and I have the keys of death and 

19 Hades. Write, then, the things that you saw, and the things 

20 that are, and the things that shall be hereafter. The mystery 
of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven 
golden lamps; the seven stars are the angels of the seven 
churches, and the seven lamps are the seven churches. 

2 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write ; 

"These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right 

2 hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamps; I 
know your works, and your labour and your patience, and that 
you cannot bear evil men, and you have tried those who call 

3 themselves apostles, and are not, and found them false ; and you 
have patience, and have borne for my name, and have not 

4 grown weary. But I have against you that you have left your 

5 first love. Remember then from whence you have fallen, and 
repent and do the first works ; but if not, I come to you and will 

6 move your lamp out of its place, unless you repent. But this 
you have that you hate the works of the Nicolaitanes, which I 

7 also hate. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says 
to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of 
the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 

8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write; 
"These things says the first and the last, who was dead and 

9 lived. I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich, 
and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, 

10 but a synagogue of Satan. Fear not what you are to suffer. 
Behold the devil will cast some of you into prison that you may 
be tried, and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful 

11 unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has 
an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He 
who overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death. 

12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write; 
"These things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword. 

13 I know where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is, and you 
hold fast my name and did not deny my faith, even in the days 
of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was slain among 

14 you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, 
because you have there those who hold the teaching of Balaam, 

I 



Translation of the Revelation of John 227 



who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children 
of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornica- 

15 tion. Thus you have also those who hold the teaching of the 

16 Nicolaitanes likewise. Repent then; or else I come unto you 
quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of 

17 my mouth. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit 
says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give of the 
hidden manna, and I will give to him a white stone, and upon 
the stone a new name written that no one knows but he that 
receives it. 

18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write; 
"These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes as a 

19 flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass. I know your works 
and your love and faith and service and patience, and that your 

20 last works are more than the first. But I have against you that 
you tolerate the woman Jezabel, who calls herself a prophetess, 
and teaches and leads my servants to commit fornication and to 

21 eat things offered to idols. And I gave her time to repent, and 

22 she did not wish to repent of her fornication. Behold I cast 
her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into 

23 great tribulation unless they repent of her works ; and her chil- 
dren I will kill with death; and all the churches shall know 
that I am the searcher of reins and hearts, and I will give to 

24 you each according to your works. But I say to the rest of you 
in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who do not 
know the deep things of Satan, as they say, I cast upon you no 

25 other burden. But what you have hold fast till I come. He 

26 who overcomes and he who keeps my works unto the end, I 

27 will give to him authority over the nations, and he shall rule 
them with a rod of iron, as potter's vessels they are broken, as I 

28 also received of my Father, and I will give to him the morning 

29 star. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to 
the churches. 

3 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write; 

"These things says he who has the seven spirits of God and 
the seven stars. I know your works, that you have a name that 

2 you live, and you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the 
things that remain which are ready to die, for I have not found 

3 your works completed before my God ; remember then how you 
have received and heard, and keep and repent; if therefore you 
shall not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall not know 



228 



The Revelation of John 



4 what hour I will come upon you. But you have a few names 
in Sardis that did not defile their garments, and they shall walk 

5 with me in white, for they are worthy. He who thus overcomes 
shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not at all blot 
out his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name 

6 before my father and before his angels. He who has an ear let 
him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; 
"These things says he that is holy, he that is true, he that has 

the key of David, he that opens and no one shall shut, and shuts 

8 and no one opens. I know your works; behold I have set be- 
fore you a door opened, which no one is able to shut; because 
you have a little strength, and you have kept my word, and 

9 have not denied my name. Behold I give of the synagogue of 
Satan, of those who call themselves Jews, and are not but speak 
falsely ; behold I will make them come and worship before your 

10 feet, and they shall know that I loved you. Because you kept 
the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour 
of trial which will come upon the whole world, to try those 

1 1 who dwell upon the earth. I come quickly ; hold fast what you 

12 have that no one take your crown. He who overcomes, I will 
make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out 
no more at all ; and I will write upon him the name of my God 
and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which 
comes down out of the heaven from my God, and my new name. 

13 He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the 
churches. 

14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write; 

' 'These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, 

15 the beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that 
you are neither cold nor hot. I would you were cold or hot. 

16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will 

17 spew you out of my mouth. Because you say 'I am rich and 
have increased in goods and have need of nothing/ and do not 
know that you are the afflicted one and miserable and poor and 

18 blind and naked, I counsel you to buy of me gold refined from 
the fire that you may be rich, and white garments that you may 
clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness be not manifest, 

19 and eyesalve to anoint your eyes that you may see. I rebuke 

20 and chasten as many as I love ; be zealous then and repent. Be- 
hold I stand at the door and knock ; if anyone hear my voice 



Translation of the Revelation of John 229 



and open the door, I will come in to him and I will sup with 

21 him and he with me. He who overcomes, I will give to him to 
sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with 

22 my father in his throne. He who has an ear let him hear what 
the Spirit says to the churches. ,, 

4 After these things I saw and behold a door opened in 
the heaven, and the first voice which I heard was like that of 
a trumpet speaking with me, saying, " Ascend hither, and I will 

2 show you what must come to pass hereafter." Immediately I 
was in the spirit ; and behold there was a throne in the heaven, 

3 and one sitting upon the throne, and he that sat was like in ap- 
pearance to a jasper and sardine stone, and a rainbow round the 

4 throne was like an emerald in appearance. And round the 
throne were twenty-four thrones, and upon the thrones twenty- 
four elders sat clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on 

5 their heads. And out of the throne lightnings and voices and 
thunders proceed; and seven lamps of fire were burning be- 

6 fore the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And be- 
fore the throne as it were a glassy sea like crystal. And in the 
midst of the throne and round about the throne were four liv- 

7 ing creatures full of eyes before and behind ; the first creature 
was like a lion, and the second creature was like a calf, and the 
third creature had the face of a man, and the fourth creature 

8 was like a flying eagle; and the four living creatures had each 
six wings, while round about and within they were full of eyes ; 
and day and night they have no rest saying, 

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, the God, the Almighty, 
who was and is and is to come." 

9 And whenever the living creatures shall give glory and 
honour and thanks to him who sits upon the throne, who lives 

10 for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders shall fall down before 
the throne and shall worship him who lives for ever and ever, 
and cast their crowns before the throne saying, 

11 "Thou art worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive 
the glory and the honour and the power, for thou hast cre- 
ated all things, and for thy pleasure they exist and were 
created." 

5 And I saw upon the right hand of him that sat upon 
the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed 

2 with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with 
a great voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to loose its 



230 



The Revelation of John 



3 seals?" And no one in the heaven nor upon the earth nor under 

4 the earth was able to open the book or to look on it. And I 
wept much because no one was found worthy to open the book 

5 or to look on it; and one of the elders says to me, "Weep not; 
behold the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, 

6 has overcome to open the book and its seven seals." And I 
saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, 
and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been 
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven 

7 spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and 
took it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 

8 And when he took the book, the four living creatures and the 
twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, having each a harp and 
golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints ; 

9 and they sing a new song saying, 

"Thou art worthy to take the book and to open its 
seals, because thou wast slain and hast bought to God by 

10 thy blood from every tribe and tongue and people and na- 
tion, and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our 
God, and they reign on the earth." 

1 1 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels in the 
circle of the throne and of the living creatures and of the 
elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads and 

1 2 thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, 

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power 
and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory 
and praise." 

13 And every creature in the heaven and upon the earth and un- 
der the earth and on the sea and all in them, I heard saying, 

"To him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be 
the praise and the honour and the glory and the dominion 
for ever and ever." 

14 And the four living creatures said "Amen," and the elders fell 
dow^n and worshipped. 

6 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven 
seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with 

2 a voice of thunder, "Come." And I saw, and behold a white 
horse, and he that sat upon him had a bow, and a crown was 
given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. 

3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living 

4 creature saying, "Come." And another horse, blood-red, went 



Translation of the Revelation of John 



231 



forth, and to the one sitting on him it was given to take peace 
from the earth and that they should slay one another, and a 

5 great sword was given to him. And when he opened the third 
seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come." And 
I saw, and behold a black horse, and he that sat upon him had 

6 a weigh-beam in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the 
midst of the four living creatures saying, "A measure of wheat 
for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny ; and the 

7 oil and the wine injure not." And when he opened the fourth 
seal, I heard a voice of the fourth living creature saying, 

8 "Come." And I saw, and behold a pale horse, and the one 
sitting on him had Death for his name, and Hades followed 
with him, and authority was given to them over the fourth of 
the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with 

9 death and by the wild beasts of the earth. And when he opened 
the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slain 

10 for the word of God and for the witness which they had. And 
they called out with a great voice saying, "How long, O Lord 
holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on 

11 those that dwell on the earth?" And a white robe was given 
to each one of them, and it was said to them that they should 
rest yet a little time until their fellow-servants and their 
brethren who were to be killed as they also were, should be com- 

12 pleted. And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there 
was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth 

13 of hair, and the moon altogether became as blood, and the stars 
of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree casts her unripe figs when 

14 shaken by a great wind, and the heaven was removed as a scroll 
rolled up, and every mountain and island were removed from 

15 their places. And the kings of the earth and the magnates and 
the chief captains and the rich and the strong and every slave 
and free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the 

16 mountains, and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, 
"Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sits upon 

17 the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great 
day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand ?" 

7 After this I saw four angels standing on the four 
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that 
no wind should blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on any 

2 tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the sun-rising, 
having the seal of the living God, and he called with a great 



232 



The Revelation of John 



voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth 

3 and the sea, saying, "Hurt not the earth nor the sea nor the 
trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their 

4 foreheads." And I heard the number of the sealed, one hun- 
dred and forty-four thousand, sealed from every tribe of the 
children of Israel; 

5 Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed, 
Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, 

Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 

6 Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, 
Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, 
Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 

7 Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, 
Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, 
Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 

8 Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, 
Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, 

Of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. 

9 After these things I saw, and behold a great crowd, 
which no one could number, of every nation and all tribes and 
peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the 

Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands; and 
they call out with a great voice, saying, 

"Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne and to 
the Lamb." 

1 And all the angels stood around the throne and the eld- 
ers and the four living creatures, and fell before the throne 

2 on their faces and worshipped God, saying, 

"Amen ; the praise and the glory and the wisdom and the 
thanksgiving and the honour and the power and the 
strength be unto our God for ever and ever; amen." 

3 And one of the elders answered me saying, "Who are 
these clothed in the white robes and whence came they?" 

4 And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, 
"These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and 
they washed their robes and made them white with the blood 

5 of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, 
and they serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits 

6 upon the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. They 
shall hunger no more nor thirst any more, neither shall the sun 

7 fall on them nor any heat, for the Lamb in the midst of the 



Translation of the Revelation of John 233 



throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to foun- 
tains of waters of life; and God shall wipe away every tear 
from their eyes." 
8 And when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence 

2 in the heaven about half an hour. And I saw the seven 
angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given 

3 them. And another angel came and stood at the altar having 
a golden censer, and much incense was given him to offer with 
the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which is before 

4 the throne. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of 
the saints ascended before God from the hand of the angel. 

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the 
altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were thunders and 

6 voices and lightnings and an earthquake. And the seven angels 
who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 

7 And the first sounded ; and there was hail and fire min- 
gled with blood, and it was cast into the earth; and the 
third of the earth was burned up, and the third of trees was 

8 burned up, and all green grass was burned up. And the second 
angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with 
fire was cast into the sea ; and the third of the sea became blood, 

9 and the third of the creatures in the sea died, — those having life, 

and the third of the boats were wrecked. And the third angel 
sounded; and a great star burning as a torch fell from the 
heaven, and it fell upon the third of the rivers and upon the 

1 fountains of the waters. And the name of the star is Worm- 
wood. And the third of the waters became wormwood, and 
many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 

2 And the fourth angel sounded ; and the third of the sun was 
smitten and the third of the moon and the third of the stars, 
so that the third of them should be darkened and the day should 
not shine for a third of it, and the night likewise. 

3 And I saw, and I heard one eagle flying in mid-heaven 
and saying with a great voice, "Woe, woe, woe for those 
dwelling on the earth from the remaining voices of the trumpet 
of the three angels yet to sound." 

9 And the fifth angel sounded; and I saw a star from 
the heaven fallen into the earth, and the key of the abysmal pit 

2 was given him; and he opened the abysmal pit, and a smoke 
ascended from the pit as the smoke of a great furnace, and the 

3 sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit. And 



234 



The Revelation of John 



locusts went forth out of the smoke to the earth, and power was 

4 given them as the scorpions of the earth have power. And 
they were told not to hurt the grass of the earth nor anything 
green nor any tree, but only the men who had not the seal of 

5 God on their forehead. And it was given them that they should 
not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months; 
and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it 

6 strikes a man. And in those days men shall seek death and shall 
not find it at all, and they shall desire to die and death flees 

7 from them. And the likenesses of the locusts were similar to 
horses prepared for war, and upon their heads as it were crowns 

8 as of gold, and their faces were as the faces of men, and they 
had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the 

9 teeth of lions, and they had breastplates like breastplates of 
iron, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots 

10 of many horses rushing to war; and they have tails like scorpions 
and stings, and in their tails is their power to hurt men five 

1 1 months. They have over them as king the angel of the abyss ; 
his name in the Hebrew is Abaddon and in the Greek he has 

12 Apollyon as name. One woe has come: behold there come yet 
two more woes. 

13 And the sixth angel sounded; and I heard one voice 

14 from the horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the 
sixth angel that had the trumpet, "Loose the four angels bound 

15 at the great river Euphrates." And the four angels who had 
been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were 

16 loosed, to kill the third of men. And the number of the armies 
of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads; I heard their 

17 number. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those 
sitting on them, having breastplates fiery and hyacinthine and 
sulphurous; and the heads of the horses were as the heads of 
lions, and out of their mouths fire and smoke and sulphur pro- 

18 ceed. By these three plagues the third of men was slain, by 
the fire and the smoke and the sulphur proceeding out of their 

19 mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouth and in 
their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads, and 

20 with them they hurt. And the rest of the men, who were not 
killed by these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, 
that they should not worship the demons and the images of gold 
and silver and brass and stone and wood, which can neither see 

21 nor hear nor walk, and they repented not of their murders nor 



Translation of the Revelation of John 235 

of their sorceries nor of their fornication nor of their thefts. 
10 And I saw another strong angel descending from the 
heaven, clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow on his head, 

2 and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire, and hav- 
ing in his hand a little book opened up. And he set his right 

3 foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth, and cried out with 
a great voice as a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven 

4 thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders 
spake, I was about to write. And I heard a voice out of the 
heaven saying, "Seal up the things that the seven thunders 

5 spake, and write them not." And the angel whom I saw stand- 
ing upon the sea and upon the earth, raised his right hand unto 

6 the heaven, and sware by him who lives forever and ever, who 
created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the 
things in it and the sea and the things in it, that there should 

7 be no longer delay; but in the days of the voice of the seventh 
angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God is finished, 
as he announced the glad tidings to his servants the prophets. 

8 And the voice which I heard out of the heaven, again spake 
with me and said, "Go take the book which is open in the hand 

9 of the angel standing on the sea and on the earth." And I went 
to the angel telling him to give me the little book. And he 
says to me, "Take it and eat it up, and it will make your belly 

10 bitter, but in your mouth it shall be sweet as honey." And I 
took the little book from the hand of the angel and ate it up, 
and it was in my mouth sweet as honey ; and when I ate it, my 

11 belly was made bitter. And they say unto me, "You must 
prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and 
tongues and kings." 

11 And a reed like a rod was given me, with the words, 
"Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and the 

2 worshippers in it. And the court outside the temple leave out 
and measure it not, because it has been given to the nations^ and 

3 the holy city shall they tread down forty-two months. And 
I will give to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thou- 

4 sand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." These 
are the two olive trees and the two lamps standing before the 

5 Lord of the earth. And if anyone will hurt them, fire proceeds 
from their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone 

6 would hurt them, thus he must be killed. These have the au- 
thority to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of 



236 The Revelation of John 

their prophecy, and they have authority over the waters to turn 
them to blood and to smite the earth with every plague as often 

7 as they shall wish. And when they have completed their wit- 
ness, the beast that ascends from the abyss shall make war with 

8 them and overcome them and kill them. And their dead body 
shall be upon the street of the great city, which spiritually is 
called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 

9 And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations 
look upon their dead body three days and a half, and permit 

10 not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those dwelling 
on the earth rejoice over them and make merry, and shall send 
gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those 

1 1 who dwell on the earth. And after the three days and a half 
breath of life from God entered in them, and they stood upon 

12 their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. And 
they heard a great voice from the heaven saying to them, " As- 
cend here," and they ascended to the heaven in the cloud, and 

13 their enemies saw them. And in that hour there was a great 
earthquake, and the tenth of the city fell, and in the earthquake 
seven thousand men were slain, and the rest were terrified and 

14 gave glory to the God of the heaven. The second woe has 
come; behold the third woe comes quickly. 

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great 
voices in the heaven, saying, 

"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of 
our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever 
and ever." 

16 And the twenty- four elders that were sitting before God on 

17 their thrones fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying, 

"We thank thee, O Lord, God, the Almighty, who is 
and who was, because thou hast taken thy great power and 

18 hast reigned ; and the nations were angry, and thy wrath is 
come and the time of the dead to be judged, and to give the 
reward to thy servants the prophets and to the saints and 
to those who fear thy name, the small and the great, and to 
destroy those who destroy the earth." 

19 And the temple of God in the heaven was opened, and the 
ark of his covenant was seen in his temple ; and there were light- 
nings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great 
hail. 

12 And a great sign was seen in the heaven, a woman 



Translation of the Revelation of John 237 



clothed with the sun, and the moon beneath her feet, and on her 

2 head a crown of twelve stars, and being with child she cried 

3 out in travail and pain to bring forth. And another sign was 
seen in the heaven, and behold a great blood-red dragoon, having 
seven heads and ten horns and upon his heads seven diadems, 

4 and his tail draws the third of the stars of the heaven and did 
cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman 
about to bring forth, to devour her child when she should bring 

5 it forth. And she brought forth a son, a male child, who is 
to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was 

6 caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled to 
the desert where she has a place prepared of God, that they 
may there nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days. 

7 And there was war in the heaven, Michael and his angels 
fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, 

8 and prevailed not, nor was their place found any more in the 

9 heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, 
called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; 
he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast down with 

10 him. And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, 

"Now there is the salvation and the power and the king- 
dom of our God and the authority of his Christ, for the 
accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them be- 

11 fore our God day and night; and they overcame him be- 
cause of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of 
their witness, and they loved not their life unto death. 

12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in 
them; woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has 
come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he 
has a little time." 

13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast into the earth, 
he pursued the woman who brought forth the male child. 

14 And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, 
to fly to the desert to her place, where she is nourished for a 
time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent. 

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water 

16 as a river, to carry her away in the stream. And the earth 
helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank 

17 down the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth; and 
the dragon was angry at the woman, and went to make war 
with the rest of her seed that keep the commands of God and 



238 



The Revelation of John 



1 8 have the witness of Jesus. And he stood upon the sand of the 
sea. 

13 And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having 
ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and 

2 on his heads names of blasphemy. And the beast that I saw 
was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and 
his mouth as a mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his 

3 power and his throne and great authority. And I saw one of 
his heads as if it had been wounded unto death, and his death 
stroke was healed. And the whole earth wondered after the 

4 beast, and they worshipped the dragon because he gave the 
authority unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast say- 

5 ing, "Who is like the beast, and who can war with him?" And 
there was given him a mouth speaking great things and blas- 
phemies, and there was given him authority to continue forty- 

6 two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against 
God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, even those 

7 dwelling in the heaven. And it was given him to make war 
with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given 

8 him over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. And 
all who dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose 
name is not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from 

9 the foundation of the world. If any one has an ear let him 

10 hear. If any one shall lead into captivity, into captivity he goes; 
if anyone shall slay with the sword, he must be slain with the 
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 

11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, 
and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a 

12 dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in 
his presence. And he makes the earth and those dwelling in it 

13 worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed. And 
he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come dowh out 

14 of the heaven to the earth before men. And he deceives those 
who dwell on the earth by means of the signs which it is given 
him to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the 
earth that they should make an image to the beast that had the 

15 wound of the sword and lived. And it was given him to give 
breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast 
should both speak and act so that as many as would not worship 

16 the image of the beast should be killed. And he makes all, 
the small and the great, both the rich and the, poor, both the 



Translation of the Revelation of John 239 



free and the bond, receive a mark on their right hand or their 

17 forehead, and that no one could buy or sell but he who has the 

18 mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here 
is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number 
of the beast, for it is a number of a man ; and his number is six 
hundred and sixty-six. 

14 And I saw, and behold the Lamb standing on the 
mount Zion, and with him an hundred and forty-four thou- 
sand having his name and the name of his father written on 

2 their foreheads. And I heard a voice from the heaven like the 
voice of many waters and like the voice of great thunder, and 
the voice that I heard was like that of harpers harping with 

3 their harps. And they sing as it were a new song before the 
throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and 
no one could learn the song but the hundred and forty-four 

4 thousand, who were bought from the earth. These are those 
who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins ; these 
follow the Lamb wherever he goes; these were bought from 

5 men to be a first fruit to God and to the Lamb, and in their 
mouth no lie was found; they are faultless. 

6 And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, hav- 
ing an eternal gospel to proclaim to those dwelling on the earth 

7 and to every race and tribe and tongue and people, saying with 
a great voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour 
of his judgment is come, and worship him who made the heaven 

8 and the earth and sea and fountains of waters." And another, a 
second angel, followed saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the 
great, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of 

9 her harlotry." And another angel, a third, followed them say- 
ing with a great voice, "If any one worship the beast and his 

10 image, and receive a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he 
shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God poured out 
undiluted in the cup of his anger, and shall be tormented with 
fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the 

11 presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends 
for ever and ever, and they have no rest day and night, who 
worship the beast and his image, and anyone who may receive 

12 the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, who 

13 keep the commands of God and the faith of Jesus." And I 
heard a voice from the heaven saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the 
dead who die in the Lord from now. Yea, says the Spirit, to 



240 



The Revelation of John 



rest from their labours, for their works go with them.' " 

14 And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the 
cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden 

1 5 crown and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came 
out of the temple, calling with a great voice to him who sat on 
the cloud, "Send forth your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap 

16 is come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." And he that 
sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth, and the earth 

17 was reaped. And another angel went out of the temple in the 

18 heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel went 
out from the altar, he having authority over the fire, and called 
out with a great voice to the one that had the sharp sickle say- 
ing, "Send forth your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of 

19 the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe" And the 
angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the 
earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came 
out of the winepress unto the bridles of the horses for one 
thousand six hundred furlongs. 

15 And I saw another sign in the heaven, great and mar- 
vellous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the 

2 last, for in them the wrath of God is completed. And I saw 
as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who come 
victorious from the beast and from his image and from the 
number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the 

3 harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of 
God and the song of the Lamb, saying, 

"Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord, God, the 
Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of the na- 

4 tions ; who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? 
for thou alone art holy ; for all the nations shall come and 
worship before thee, for thy righteous acts are made mani- 
fest." 

5 And after these things I saw, and the temple of the 

6 tent of the witness was opened in the heaven, and the seven 
angels having the seven plagues came out of the temple clothed 
with linen, pure and bright, and girdled about their breasts with 

7 golden girdles. And one of the four living creatures gave to 
the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God 

8 who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with 
smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one 



Translation of the Revelation of John 241 

was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven 
angels were complete. 
16 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying 
to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the 

2 wrath of God into the earth." And the first went and poured 
out his bowl into the earth; and a noisome and grievous sore 
fell upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who 

3 worshipped his image. And the second poured out his bowl 
into the sea ; and it became blood as of a dead man, and every 

4 living soul died, — those in the sea. And the third poured out 
his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and 

5 they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, 
"Righteous art thou, who art and wast, thou Holy One, be- 

6 cause thou hast judged thus; for they have shed blood of saints 
and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; they 

7 are worthy." And I heard the altar saying, "Yea, Lord, God, 

8 the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." And the 
fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun ; and it was given to 

9 him to scorch the men with fire, and the men were scorched 
with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who 
has the authority over these plagues, and they repented not to 

10 give him glory. And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the 
throne of the beast ; and his kingdom became darkened, and they 

1 1 gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of the 
heaven because of their pains, and their sores, and repented not 

12 of their works. And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the 
great river Euphrates ; and its water was dried up, that the way 

13 of the kings from the sunrising should be prepared. And I 
saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of 
the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the 

14 mouth of the false prophet; for they are the spirits of demons 
doing signs, which go forth to the kings of the whole world, to 
assemble them to the war of the great day of God the Al- 

15 mighty. (Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches 
and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his 

16 shame). And they gathered them to the place called in Hebrew 

17 Har Magedon. And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the 
air ; and there went forth a great voice out of the temple from 

18 the throne saying, "It is done." And there were lightnings and 
voices and thunders, and a great earthquake, such as was not 
since there were men on the earth, — an earthquake so very great. 



242 



The Revelation of John 



19 And the great city was broken into three parts, and the cities 
of the nations fell ; and Babylon the great was remembered be- 
fore God to give to her the cup of the wine of the wrath of 

20 his anger; and every island fled away, and mountains were not 

21 found. And a great hail with stones like talents for weight, 
fell out of the heaven on the men ; and the men blasphemed God 
for the plague of the hail, for the plague of it is very great. 

17 And one of the seven angels having the seven bowls, came 
and spake with me saying, "Come hither, I will show you 

2 the judgment of the great harlot that sits on many waters, with 
whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and those 
dwelling on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her 

3 fornication." And he bore me away in spirit into a wilderness. 
And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet colored beast, full of 

4 names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns; and 
the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet, and decked 
with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup 
in her hand full of abominations and the unclean things of her 

5 fornication, and upon her forehead a name written, "MYS- 
TERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF 
THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF 

6 THE EARTH." And I saw the woman drunken with the 
blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. 

7 And when I saw her I wondered with great wonder; and the 
angel said to me, "Why did you wonder? I will tell you the 
mystery of the woman and of the beast carrying her, that has 

8 the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw 
was and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss and to go 
into perdition; and these dwelling on the earth shall wonder, 
the name of whom has not been written in the book of life from 
the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was 

9 and is not and shall be present. Here is the mind that has 
wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the 

10 woman sits. And there are seven kings; the five have fallen, 
the one is, the other is not yet come, and when he comes he 

1 1 must remain a little time. And the beast that was and is not, is 
himself also an eighth and is of the seven, and goes into perdi- 

12 tion. And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who 
have received no kingdom yet, but receive authority as kings one 

13 hour with the beast. These have one mind, and give their 

14 power and authority to the beast. These shall war with the 



Translation of the Revelation of John 



243 



Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because he is Lord 
of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and 

5 chosen and faithful." And he says to me, "The waters which 
you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and 

6 nations and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw and 
the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and make her desolate and 

7 naked, and devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire; for God 
put into their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind 
and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God 

8 shall be fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great 
city which has dominion over the kings of the earth." 

8 After these things I saw another angel coming down 
out of the heaven having great authority, and the earth was 

2 lightened with his glory. And he called with a powerful voice 
saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a 
dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit 

3 and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird; for by the 
wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen, 
and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and 
the merchants of the earth grew rich by the power of her 

4 luxury." And I heard another voice out of the heaven saying, 
"Come forth, my people, out of her, that you have no fellow- 

5 ship with her sins, and receive not of her plagues; for her sins 
have reached unto the heaven, and God has remembered her 

6 iniquities. Give to her as also she gave and double the doubles 
according to her works ; in the cup which she mingled mingle to 

7 her double ; as much as she glorified herself and grew luxurious, 
so much torment and grief give her. Because in her heart she 
says, 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no grief/ 

8 Therefore in one day her plagues shall come, death and grief 
and famine, and she shall be burned up with fire ; for strong is 

9 the Lord God who judges her. And the kings of the earth that 
committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her shall 
weep and lament, when they see the smoke of her burning, 

standing far away for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, 
the great city, Babylon, the strong city, for in one hour is your 

1 judgment come.' And the merchants of the earth weep and 
mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more, 

2 merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls 
and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and all thyine 
wood and every vessel of ivory and every vessel of most precious 



244 



The Revelation of John 



13 wood and of brass and iron and marble, and cinnamon and 
amomum and incense and ointment and frankincense and wine 
and oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and 
merchandise of horses and chariots and slaves, and souls of men. 

14 And the fruits which your soul desired are gone from you, and 
all dainty and sumptuous things are perished from you, and they 

15 shall find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, 
who grew rich by her, shall stand far off for the fear of her tor- 

16 ment weeping and mourning, saying, 'Alas, alas, the great city, 
attired in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with 
gold and precious stone and pearl, for in one hour so great 

17 wealth is made desolate/ And every ship-master and every one 
who sails any place, both sailors and such as toil on sea, stood 

18 far off and called out as they saw the smoke of her burning 

19 saying, 'What city is like the great city?' And they cast dust 
upon their heads and called out as they wept and grieved, say- 
ing, 'Alas, alas, the great city, in which all who had boats on 
the sea became rich out of her costliness, for in one hour is she 

20 made desolate.' Rejoice over her, O heaven, and the saints and 
the apostles and the prophets, for God has judged your judg- 

21 ment on her." And one strong angel took up a stone like a 
great millstone, and cast it into the sea saying, "Thus with 
impulse shall the great city Babylon be cast down, and shall 

22 be found no more at all." And a voice of harpers and minstrels 
and flute-players and trumpeteers shall be heard no more in 
you at all, and every craftsman of whatever craft shall be 
found no more in you at all, and a sound of a millstone shall 

23 be heard no more in you at all, and a light of a lamp shall shine 
no more in you at all, and a voice of a bridegroom and of a bride 
shall be heard no more in you at all; for your merchants were 
the magnates of the earth, for with your sorcery all the nations 

24 were deceived. And in her was found blood of prophets and 
of saints and of all those that had been slain on the earth. 

19 After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a vast 
multitude in the heaven saying, 

"Hallelujah; the salvation and the glory and the power 

2 are our God's, for true and righteous are his judgments; 
for he has judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth 
with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of his 
servants at her hand," 

3 And again they said "Hallelujah;" and her smoke ascends 



Translation of the Revelation of John 



245 



4 for ever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the four 
living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sits upon 

5 the throne saying, "Amen, Hallelujah." And a voice went 
forth from the throne saying, 

"Praise our God, all you his servants and you who fear 
him, the small and the great." 

6 And I heard as it were a yoke of a great multitude and 
as a voice of many waters and as a voice of mighty thun- 
ders, saying, 

"Hallelujah, for the Lord, our God, the Almighty, 

7 reigns. Let us rejoice and be very glad, and let us give the 
glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his 

8 wife has made herself ready ; and it was given her to be at- 
tired in fine linen bright and pure, for the fine linen is the 
righteous acts of the saints." 

9 And he says to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are 
bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' " And he says 

10 to me, "These are true words of God." And I fell before his 
feet to worship him. And he says to me, "See you do it not; 
I am a fellow-servant of you and your brethren who have the 
testimony of Jesus; worship God; for the testimony of Jesus 
is the spirit of prophecy." 

11 And I saw the heaven opened, and behold a white 
horse, and he that sat on him was called faithful and true, 

12 and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are as 
a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, he has a 

13 name written that no one knows but he himself, and he is 
clothed with a garment spattered with blood, and his name is 

14 called "The Word of God." And the armies which are in the 
heaven followed him on white horses, dressed in fine linen 

15 white and pure. And a sharp sword proceeds from his mouth, 
that with it he should smite the nations ; and he shall rule them 
with a rod of iron; and he treads the winepress of the fury of 

16 the wrath of God the Almighty. And he has on his garment 
and on his thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS AND 
LORD OF LORDS." 

17 And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he called 
with a great voice saying to all the birds flying in mid- 

18 heaven, "Come, be assembled to the great supper of God, that 
ye may eat flesh of kings and flesh of chief captains and flesh of 
strong men and flesh of horses and those sitting on them, and 



246 



The Revelation of John 



19 flesh of all both free men and slaves both small and great." And 
I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies 
gathered to make war with him who sat upon the horse and with 

20 his army. And the beast was captured and with him the false 
prophet that did the signs in his presence, by which he de- 
ceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who 
worshipped his image ; they were both cast alive into the lake 

21 of fire burning with sulphur. And the rest were slain by the 
sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword that proceeds out 
of his mouth, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. 

20 And I saw an angel descending out of the heaven, having 

2 the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And 
he laid hold of the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil 

3 and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him 
into the abyss, and shut and sealed it over him, that he should 
deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were 

4 finished ; after that he must be loosed for a little time. And I 
saw thrones and their occupants, and judgment was given them; 
and I saw the souls of those that had been beheaded for the 
testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who 
did not worship the beast nor his image and did not receive the 
mark on their forehead and their hand; and they lived and 

5 reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead 
did not live till the thousand years should be finished. This is 

6 the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in 
the first resurrection; on these the second death has no power, 
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign 

7 with him the thousand years. And when the thousand years 

8 are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall 
go forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners 
of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the 

9 war, the number of them being as the sand of the sea. And 
they went up over the breadth of the earth, and encircled the 
camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire descended 

10 out of the heaven and devoured them; and the devil that de- 
ceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where 
both the beast and the false prophet are, and they shall be tor- 
mented day and night for ever and ever. 

11 And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on 
it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and no 

12 place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and 



Translation of the Revelation of John 247 



the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened ; 
and another book was opened, which is the book of life ; and the 
dead were judged out of the things written in the books accord- 

13 ing to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in 
it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, 

14 and they were judged each one according to their works. And 
death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the 

15 second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found 
written in the book of life he was cast into the lake of fire. 

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first 
heaven and the first earth were gone, and the sea is no more. 

2 And I saw the holy city new Jerusalem coming down out of the 
heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

3 And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, "Behold the 
tabernacle of God is with men and he shall dwell with them, 
and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with 

4 them, and shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and 
death shall be no more; neither shall there be grief nor crying 

5 nor pain any more. The first things have passed away." And 
he who sits upon the throne said, "Behold I make all things 
new." And he says "Write, for these words are faithful and 

6 true." And he said to me, "They are accomplished. I am the 
Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the 
thirsty one I will give gratuitously of the fountain of the water 

7 of life. He that overcomes shall inherit these things, and I 

8 will be God to him and he shall be son to me. But for the 
fearful and unfaithful and abominable and murderers and forni- 
cators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars their part shall be 
in the lake burning with fire and sulphur, which is the second 
death." 

9 And one of the seven angels having the seven bowls full 
of the seven last plagues came and spake with me saying, 
"Come hither, I will show you the bride the wife of the Lamb." 

10 And he bore me away in spirit to a mountain great and high, 
and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem descending out of 

11 the heaven from God, having the glory of God; her light was 
like a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone 

12 clear as crystal; having a wall great and high, having 
twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names in- 
scribed on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of 

13 the children of Israel; on the east three gates, on the north three 



248 



The Revelation of John 



14 gates, on the south three gates, on the west three gates; and the 
wall of the city had twelve foundations, and upon them twelve 

15 names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that spoke 
with me had a golden reed for a measure, to measure the city 

16 and its gates and its wall. And the city lies four-square, and 
the length of it is as great as the breadth. And he measured 
the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs ; the length and 

17 the breadth and height of it are equal. And he measured the 
wall of it an hundred and forty-four cubits, man's measure, 

18 which is angel's. And the material of its wall was jasper, and 

19 the city was pure gold like pure glass; the foundations of the 
wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone; the 
first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third 

20 chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth 
sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topas, 
the tenth chrysophrase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth 

21 amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one 
of the several gates was of one pearl; and the street of the 

22 city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw 
no temple in it for the Lord, God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, 

23 are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the 
moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illumined it, and its 

24 lamp is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light ; and 

25 the kings of the earth bring their glory into it; and its gates 
shall not be closed at all by day, for there shall be no night 

26 there ; and they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations 

27 into it. And there shall not at all enter it anything 
common, nor he who makes an abomination and a lie, 
but those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb. 

22 And he showed me a river of water of life bright as 
crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

2 Between the street of it and the river, on this side and on that, 
there was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits, yielding its 
fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the heal- 

3 ing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse. And the 
throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants 

4 shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall 

5 be on their foreheads. And night shall be no more, and they 
have no need of light of lamp and light of sun, because the Lord 
God shall shine on them, and they shall reign for ever and ever. 

6 And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and 



Translation of the Revelation of John 249 



true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has 
sent his angel to show to his servants the things that must 

7 shortly come to pass; and behold I come quickly; blessed is he 

8 who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." And I 
John am the one that heard and saw these things. And when 
I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the 

9 angel that showed me these things. And he says to me, "See 
you do it not; I am a fellow-servant of you and of your 
brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this 

10 book; worship God." And he says to me, "Seal not the words 

11 of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. Let the 
wrong-doer do wrong still, let the filthy be made filthy still, let 
the righteous do righteousness still, and let the holy be made 

12 holy still. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, 

13 to give to each one as his work is. I am the Alpha and the 
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 

14 Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the 
right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the 

15 city. Without are the dogs and the sorcerers and the fornica- 
tors and the murderers and the idolaters and every one that 
loves and makes a lie." 

16 "I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you these things for 
the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the 
bright, the morning star." 

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come;" and let him that 
hears say, "Come;" and let him that is thirsty come, the one 
that will let him take the water of life gratuitously. 

18 I testify to everyone that hears the words of the pro- 
phecy of this book; if any one shall add to them, God shall 

19 add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if 
any one shall take away from the words of the book of this 
prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and 
out of the holy city, which are written in this book. 

20 He who testifies these things says, "Yea; I come quick- 
ly." Amen; come, Lord Jesus. 

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. 



APPENDIX II 



I 



EXPLANATIONS 



A few technical and other terms and names used in the body 
of this book are here explained for the benefit of such readers 
as may not be familiar with them. 

Antinomian. — Contrary to the moral law as received and held 
at the time. 

Bede or Beda. — The Venerable Bede, an English monk (673 
— 735) wno wrote an Ecclesiastical History of the English 
Nation and other works. 

Clement. — In Church History usually either, (a) Clement of 
Rome, (bishop of Rome 92 — 100), who wrote several 
epistles, or (b) Clement of Alexandria, a Christian writer 
who lived about 150 — 220 A. D. 

Didache. — A book called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, 
the oldest church manual, written about 112 A. D. 

Eusebius, — Bishop of Caesarea, wrote an important history of 
the Christian Church about 325 A. D. 

Gnostic. — Connected with the Gnostics or Gnosticism, a phi- 
losophical early Christian sect. 

Heptad. — A group of seven. 

Hippolytus. — A Christian writer of Rome in the early part of 

the third century. 
Ignatius. — A Christian writer born in Syria 67 A. D. and 

martyred in Rome 107 A. D. 
Irenaeus. — A Greek Christian writer who died as a martyr 

262 A. D. 
Lex talionis. — The law of retaliation. 
Nero redivivus. — Nero returned to life. 

Primasius. — A Catholic bishop of Hadrumetum in northern 

Africa who wrote a work on the Revelation of John in the 

early part of the sixth century. 
Propontis. — The ancient name of the sea of Marmora. 
Pseudonymous. — Issued under an assumed or false name. 
Stadium. — (a) A Greek measure of length of 600 Greek or 

6o6^4 English feet, (b) A race course, the one at Olympia 

being exactly this length. 
Strabo.— A Greek historian and geographer who lived about 

the time of Christ. 

253 



254 The Revelation of John 

Sub specie aeternitatis. — Under the vision of eternity; as seen 

by God; considered absolutely. 
Tertullian. — A Latin Christian writer of the second and third 

centuries. 

Tetragrammaton. — The four consonantal letters nifT* of the 
Hebrew word Jehovah. 

Victorinus. — Bishop of Pettau in Panonia, now in the south- 
west of Austria, in the fourth century who wrote com- 
mentaries on books of the Bible. 



INDEX 



The larger departments of the book are indicated in the table of con- 
tents. Many details of The Revelation as translated in Appendix I., 
are treated in the exposition of the passages in which they occur. 

The numbers refer to the pages. 



Abaddon, 139 

Abomination of desolation, 15 
Abyss, wild beast from 146 
Agrippina, 31 

Alexander the Great, captures 

Sardis, 91 
Alexandre, 21 

Altar, in fifth seal, 123 ; of in- 
cense, 136; the golden, 140; re- 
ply of, 173 

Angels, in Revelation of John, 28, 
118; seven, 135, 170; four, 140; 
the strong, 141 ; angel in mid- 
heaven, 163; a second, 164; a 
third, 165; of the waters, 173; 
still another, 183 ; not to be wor- 
shipped, 187 ; in the sun, 191 

Antiochus IV, 15 

Antiochus, captures Sardis, 91 

Antiochus II, founds Laodicea, 
102 

Apocalypse, of Baruch, 22; of 
Abraham, 24; of Elias and Zep- 
haniah, 24; late Christian and 
Jewish, 25; of Peter, 2$; of 
Paul, 25 ; of Sedrach, 25 ; of the 
Virgin, 25; spurious of John, 
25 ; Revelation of John as, 28 

Apocalyptic Age, 13 

Apocalyptic Literature, 13, 18; 
rise and . development of, 17; 
characteristics of, 25 ; aim of, 
26; contrasted with prophecy, 
26; interpretation of-, -26: 

Apollyon, 139 

Armageddon, 174, 175 

Asia, extent, 33 ; religion in, 33 ; 
features of, 33 ; people of, 34 ; 
loyalty of, 34 ; Christianity in, 
34; Jews in, 34 



Babylon, fall of, 164, 176, 183, 185, 

191; ready for judgment, 179; 

call to leave, 183 ; lamentations 

over, 184 
Babylonian captivity, 13 ; books of, 

18 

Balaam and Balak, 79, 85 

Beast, the great, from the sea, 
157, 175; from the land, 159; 
fate of worshippers of, 165; 
those victorious over, 169; 
throne of, 174 ; carrying the wo- 
man, 179; battle with the war- 
rior, 188; overthrown, 191 

Benediction, 212 

Bible, translated into Greek, 15 

Book, of Jubilees, 24; of Eldad 
and Medad, 25 ; the little, 141 

Bowls, of seven angels, 171 

Ceriani, 22 

Chaldeans, cruelty of, 14 
Charles, Dr. R. H., 20, 22 
Christ, in the midst of the 
churches* 60; conqueror, 79; 
bread of life, 80; son of God, 
83 ; recognition of, 87 ; scrutiny 
of, 87, 92; rewards of, 72, 75, 80. 
.87, 88, 93, 94, 99, 100, 106 ; meek- 
ness and strength of, 116; 
worthiness of, 118; coming of, 
209; some characteristics of, 
210 ; summary of teaching re- 
garding, 217. 
Church, churches, contrasted with 
the Empire, 58, 112; Christ in 
midst of, 60; messages to sev- 
en, 64; representative character 
of, 65; letters to seven, 66; an- 
gels of, 67; condition of 128; 



255 



256 



Index 



represented by John 142 ; and by 
two witnesses, 145 ; conflict with 
Empire, 146, 169; raised to life, 
147; rejoicing over Babylon, 
184; conflict with the world, 
196; summary of teaching re- 
garding, 219. See also Roman 
Empire. 

Cicero, visits Laodicea, 102. 

City, the heavenly, 201 

Claudius, 31 

Clement of Alexandria, 61, 71 
Conquest, 121 

Constantine, edict of, 13, 15, 16, 33 
Council of Jerusalem, 85, 88 
Croesus, Lydian king, 90 
Crown of life, 75 
Cyrus, defeats Croesus, 91 ; cap- 
tures Babylon, 175 

Daniel, book of, 18 

Days, one thousand two hundred 
and sixty, 144, 145, 154 

Dean, Rev. J. T., 135, 161 

Death, in fourth seal, 123; bless- 
edness of, 165 ; second, 193, 198 

Delphi, oracle of, 90 

Destiny, book of, 114; opened, 
120 

Destruction in sixth trumpet, 140 
Didache, 61 

Dispersion of Jews, 14 
Domitian, 180 
Domitius, 31 

Dragon, 153, 175; bound, 191 
Dwelling of God with men, 202 

Eagle flying, 138 

Earthquakes, in Sardis, 91 ; Phila- 
delphia, 95 ; in sixth seal, 124, 
147, 177 

Eating meat offered to idols, 86 
Egypt, Jews transported to, 14 
Elders around the throne, 109, 149, 
186 

Elijah, 145; and John the Baptist, 
180 

Empire. See Roman Empire 
Enoch, literature of, 20 
Ephesus, 69; letter to church in, 
69 



Epilogue, 207 

Ethiopic Enoch, 18 

Euphrates, 140; dried up, 174, 175 

Ewald, 21 

Exile, 13; return from, 14 
Explanations, 253 
Ezekiel, book of, 18 
Ezra, 14 

Famine, 122 

Fire, 136; lake of, 192, 196, 197, 
198 

Fornication, 85 
Fourth Ezra, 21, 22 

Galba, conspiracy to enthrone, 32 
Genesis, writings based on, 23 
Glass, sea of, 169 
God, summary of teaching regard- 
ing, 217 
Gog and Magog, 196 
Greek Baruch, 23 
Greek period, 14 
Grotius and Jezebel, 87 

Hades, in fourth seal, 123; cast 

into lake of fire, 198 
Hail, and fire, 136; plague of, 177 
Harvest scene, 166 
Heaven, war in, 155 ; aL voice from, 

165 

Heavenly bodies darkened, 137 
Heavens, rolled up, 124; and earth 
197 

Herodotus, 175 
Hippolytus, 71 

Histories of Adam and Eve, 24 

Ignatius, Epistle to the Ephesians, 
71 

Imperial power, the real, 112 
Incense, bowls of, 117; angel with, 

136; altar of, 136 
Introduction, 11 
Irenaeus, 71 

Isaiah, non-canonical books of, 24 
Israel, tribes of, 129 

Jerusalem, captured by Babylon- 
ians, 13, by Greeks, 15, by Ro- 
mans, 15; rebuilt, 14; city of s 



Index 



257 



146; the new, 202 
Jewish war of independence, 15 
Jews, in Babylon, 13 ; in Persian 
period, 14; in Greek period, 14; 
crises of, 17; in Asia, 34, 99, 
103; at martyrdom of Poly- 
carp, 75 
Jezebel, 84 

John, in Patmos, 51, 60; com- 
manded to write, 61 ; summoned 
to heaven, 108; shown the judg- 
ment of Babylon, 179; forbid- 
den to write, 141 ; as a prophet, 
142 

Judah, conquest of, 13 

Judas Maccabaeus, 15 

Judgment, portents of, 125 ; ex- 
pected, 127 ; at hand, 149, 163, 
167, 171, 177; executed by Christ 
190; given to the faithful, 194; 
last, 197 

Lagoras, climbs the cliff at Sar- 

dis, 91 
Land smitten, 172 
Laodicea, city, 102; letter to 

church in, 102 
Law, destroyed, 15 ; given to 

Moses, no 
Living creatures, the four, no, 

186 

Locusts from the pit, 139 
Manna, 80 

Marriage of the Lamb, 186, 203 

Martyrdom, 124 

Mattathias, revolt under, 15 

Megiddo, 175, 176 

Messianic hope, 17, 129 

Months, forty-two, 144, 158 

Moon discolored, 124 

Morning star, given by Christ, 89 

Moses, 145; song of, 170; Assump- 
tion of, 21 

Mount Zion, Lamb and great com- 
pany on, 161 

Multitude, the great, 131 

Name, new, 80 
Nehemiah, 14 

Nero, persecutes the Christians, 



16, 30; parentage, 31; reign of, 
31; reign of terror under, 32; 
accomplishments of, 32; death 
of 32; redivivus, 32, 158, 180 

Xicolaitanes, 71, 79, 85 

Nineveh captured, 13 

Number, 28, 35, 45, 160 

Octavia, 31 
Octavianus, 30 
Otho, 31 

Parthians, 120, 175 
Patmos, 60 

Paul, imprisoned, 30; appealed to 

Caesar, 31 ; ascension of, 25 ; 

visits Ephesus, 70 
Pergamum, city, 77 ; letter to 

church in, 77 
Persecution, in Greek period, 15; 

of the Christians., 16, 31, 124 
Persian period, 14 
Persians capture Sardis, 90 
Philadelphia, city, 95 ; letter to 

church in, 95 
Pit, the abysmal, 139 
Plagues, the seven last, 169, 172 ; 

of Egypt, 172 
Pliny, letter to Trajan, 160 
Polycarp, martyred, 74; tests of, 

124 

Pompey, captures Jerusalem, 15 
Poppaea, 31, 32 
Prayer of Joseph, 25 
Prophecy, ceased, 17 
Prophet, the false, 175 ; over- 
thrown, 191 
Psalter of Solomon, 23 

Ramsay, Sir Wm, 51, 67, 121, 154, 
159, 184; re. the seven churches, 
64 

Resurrection, the first, 193 ; a sec- 
ond, 199 

Revelation, book of, excellence of, 
11, 28; as an apocalypse, 28; 
characteristics of, 28, 49, 50, 56, 
212, 217; aim and purpose of 28, 
43, 56; prophecy in, 29; pseu- 
donymity of, 29 ; historical set- 
ting of, 30; date of, 18, 38, 148, 



258 



Index 



180; unity of 39; destination of, 
43> 57 symbolism of, 45 ; con- 
tents and plan of, 46; interpre- 
tation of, 49, 56, 215; title of, 
55 ; preface in, 55 ; sources of, 
55 ; importance of close atten- 
tion to, 56, 208; introduction in, 
57; author of, 37, 57, 60; vi- 
sions of, 46, 108; immediate ful- 
filment of, 209; penalty for al- 
tering, 210; inspiration of, 220; 
practical value of, 220 

Revelation, certified genuine, 208; 
not to be sealed, 208 

Revelations of Stephen and 
Thomas, 25 

Roman Empire, extent of, 30; at- 
titude to religion, 30; to Jews, 
154; to Christianity, 30, 156; in 
first century A. D. 33 ; con- 
trasted with God, 112; condition 
of, 128; people of, 147; under 
sway of Satan, 155, 180; fate of 
158; overthrown, 183, 192; con- 
quered by Christ, 192 

Roman period, 15 

Rome, great fire in, 16, 31 ; perse- 
cution in, 16, 31; summary of 
teaching regarding, 218 

Sacrifices required, 15 
Sagaris, martyr, 103 
Sardis, city, 90; letter to church 
in, 90 

Satan, depths of, 88; in the Em- 
pire, 155; bound, 193; loosed, 
195 ; power finally settled, 196 ; 
see Dragon 

Schiirer, Prof. E. and Jezebel, 87 

Scorpions, 139 

Scott, Prof. C. Anderson, 111, 160 

Sea affected, 137, 172 

Sealed book and the Lamb, 114; 

opening of, 120; significance of, 

125 

Sealing of one hundred and forty- 
four thousand, 129 
Sibyline oracles, 21, 136 
Silence of half an hour, 135 
Slavonic Enoch, 20 



Smoke, from the pit, 139; in the 

temple, 171 
Smyrna, city, 73 ; letter to church 

in, 73 

Solon, advises Croesus, 90 
Spirits, unclean, 175 
Stars, falling, 124, 139 
Strabo, historian, 74 
Sun darkened, 124 ; heat increased, 
173 

Supper, the great of God, 191 
Swete, Dr. H. B., 67, 104, 111, 118, 
121, 160, 161, 172, 175, 187, 205, 

212 

Symbolic figures and numbers, 28 

Temple, desecrated, 15 ; of God 
measured, 144; opened in heav- 
en, 150, 170 

Tertullian, 61, 71 

Testaments of Twelve Patriarchs, 

23 

Thanksgiving to God over Baby- 
lon's fall, 186 

Thousand years, 195 

Throne in heaven, vision of 108; 
occupant of, 108; other features 
of, no; judgment of, 198 

Thyatira, city, 82; letter' to 
church in, 82 

Tiberias, emperor, assists Sardis, 
91 ; and Philadelphia, 95 

Translation, 225 

Tree of Life, 72 

Tribulation, the great, 132 

Trumpets, the seven, 135 ; signifi- 
cance of, 151 

Victor and the slain, 188 
Victories, final, 193 
Vintage scene, 166 
Virgil, Roman poet, 30 
Voices in the heavens, 149 

War, 122; in heaven, 155; the Eu- 
ropean, 199 
Warrior, victory of, 188 
White stone, 80 
Witnesses, the two, 144 



Index 



259 



Woes, the three, 139 137 

Woman, clothed with the sun, 153 ; Worship, of elders and living 

the iniquitous, 179 creatures, m ; of the beast, 165; 

Wormwood, waters changed to, of God, 165, 186 



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